The rise of social media is eroding the amount of face-to-face communication between people. In Japan, one upshot of this phenomenon is that younger people are finding it increasingly difficult to share their problems with those around them. In essence, they feel as though they have no one to turn to for advice.
社交媒体的兴起正在减少人与人之间面对面交流的频率。在日本,该现象造成的一个后果就是:年轻一代发现,要与自己周围的朋友倾诉自己遇到的问题越来越难了。实质上,他们就是感觉无人能给自己建议。

A new breed of morale-boosting services catering to such people has emerged. And while some of these offerings verge on the comical, their existence is a perhaps grim reflection of what appears to be a growing sense of disconnection from society among younger Japanese.
一种新型面向这类人群、旨在振奋精神的服务已然兴起。然而,其中的一些真是让人啼笑皆非,它们的存在也可能反应了一些残酷的现实:日本青年一代与社会的断带越来越明显。

Get your kicks
偶像踢

Hitomi Nogata, a 24-year-old professional kickboxer, has a unique side job. She offers a service that involves literally giving people a hard kick in the caboose. One person seeking her services recently was Akira Muramoto, the 22-year-old representative of a Tokyo venture company.
24岁的野形仁美是一个专业的自由搏击选手,有着一份特别的副业。她提供的服务就是给人的屁股上重重地踢一脚。最近,一个寻求其服务的叫年轻人叫Akira Muramoto,22岁,是东京一家风投公司的代表。

As he stood in front of her, Nogata lifted her muscular right leg and said, "Here I go!" before unleashing a monster kick to Muramoto's buttocks.
当Akira Muramoto站在野形仁美面前,野形仁美抬起她那健壮的右腿说,“我来啦!”之后就在Akira Muramoto的屁股上重重一击。

Middle-aged man for rent
中年男子出租

Takanobu Nishimoto, a 47-year-old fashion producer, offers a coaching service called "Rent a Middle-Aged Man." He rents out his spare time for 1,000 yen ($8) per hour. While some of his customers take him out dining or shopping, Nishimoto said most of them talk to him about their romantic or family problems.
47岁的Takanobu Nishimoto从事服装行业,他为人提供一个叫“出租中年男子”的指导服务。他出租自己的空余时间,每个小时1000日元(8美元)。他的一些客户会带他出去吃饭或购物,Nishimoto说,大部分人会向他倾诉自己的情感问题或家庭问题。

So far, he has met more than 1,500 people, mostly women and young men. He listens to them and gives them his honest opinion. He said he does not try to sugarcoat his advice.
到目前为止,他的客户已经超过了1500位,其中大部分是女性和年轻男性。他倾听客户,会给他们一些诚肯的建议。他说他从不粉饰自己的意见。

Scream and shout
惊声尖叫

On TV Tokyo, a program called "I Want To Be Scolded By Risa Yoshiki" has generated considerable buzz since its launch in August last year. In the show, Yoshiki, a female TV celebrity, yells at TV audiences through a camera lens, tossing out such admonishments as, "Who do you think you are?"
东京电视台有档电视节目名叫《好想被吉木梨纱辱骂》,自从去年8月推出以来,引起强烈反响。节目中,电视女星吉木通过镜头对观众大骂:“你以为你是谁?”等一大堆难听的话。

Hiroki Takahashi, a TV Tokyo official in charge of the program, suggested people are hungry for a good berating.
东京电视台管理这档节目的公务员高桥广树称,观众们渴望善意的批评。

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