Japan: A Friend In Need

Japan: A Friend in Need 23 mins

Lost your job and need a bogus boss to fool your family that you're still in work? Can't think who to have as your best man at your wedding?

The BBC's Tokyo correspondent Roland Buerk investigates Japan's growing 'rent a friend' service sector. Several agencies now rent out fake spouses, best men, relatives, friends, colleagues, boyfriends and girlfriends to help clients get through social functions such as weddings, parents' evenings - and even funerals.