[ VO ]It’s almost stopped raining and Mr. Nakajima is taking his sweetheart to a nearby karaoke bar.
[ Nakajima ]Hi everyone! [ Bartender ] Hello
[ Nakajima ]I’m early today. It was pouring!
[ Bartender ]You're with your girlfriend tonight! What a beautiful flower she has!
[ Nakajima ]Make yourself at home, don’t be shy! Let me sort your arm out and put it here.
[ Bartender ]A cocktail for each of you... Enjoy!
[ Nakajima ]So, let's drink to us!
SUBSTITUTES
[ Nakajima ]I remember the night when you hurt me…. You made me cry, but I left this night behind…
[ VO ]In Japan, fewer than ever people are getting married. Among 50
year-olds, one in four has never had a family. That’s one of the
reasons the country has consistently had an extremely low birthrate.
[ VO ]In the next 30 years, Japan’s population may decrease by a third.
[ VO ]Mass-production and marketing of a new generation of sex toys
have heralded a new era of relationships between dolls and people.
MAYUMI
[ VO ]This is Mayumi, our Japanese production assistant here in
Tokyo. She’s 34, and single. Mayumi’s invited us to visit her home.
[ Mayumi ]Hi!
[ Mayumi ]In this house, maybe a couple of years It's nothing, I think. I don't have anything...
[ Mayumi ]Really, I don't! This is only one stuffed toy I have!
[ Mayumi ]The future... Yeah, being alone and not having family…
[ Mayumi ]I’m only one child. No sisters, no brothers, no relatives. So,
after my parents die, I’m going to be alone, so… I feel detached.
[ Mayumi ]Like, this is not just… Of course it’s affected by society a lot.
[ Mayumi ]Men in Japan are under big pressure. Like, if they don’t
make enough money, then, like, women don’t want to be with them.
[ Mayumi ]My interest is in finding out that Japanese people having trouble
connecting to other people, and then not being able to communicate.
TANAKA
[ Mayumi ]Now we’re coming to your office. When we get there, you’ll tell us
about your job. We just want to see how your day goes, nothing complicated. Ok?
[ Tanaka ]What do I do? Look at the camera?
[ Mayumi ] No, just speak the way you usually do [ Tanaka ] OK
[ Tanaka ]Right here!
[ Mayumi ]Come on in!
[ VO ]Today we’re meeting a doll salesman. Mr. Tanaka sells them online. Demand
is very high at the moment, only last week, they were completely sold out.
[ Tanaka ]Customers often ask about the quality, they're interested in the details
[ Tanaka ]They ask all kinds of questions, and we try to give them full answers
[ Tanaka ]A lot of correspondence passes back and forth between us before the client places an order
[ NOBORU TANAKA VENDOR ]We have both male
and female customers... Everyone's at it!
[ Tanaka ]It's an amazing feeling
[ Tanaka ]You understand it's a doll, but you feel as though it's really alive
[ Tanaka ]How can I explain it?
[ Tanaka ]When you make love to your wife,
there can be some problems
[ Mayumi ] Of course, you have to make an effort. [ Tanaka ] With a doll, none of that matters!
[ Tanaka ]Let's check them out
[ VO ]Mr. Tanaka has a showroom right next door.
[ Tanaka ]We keep on turning... turning... and attach the head. The doll is 155 cm tall.
[ Tanaka ]It costs 420,000 yen ($3,750). As for its service life, it's difficult to say.
[ Tanaka ]It's like with a smartphone:
you can send 30 texts a day,
or you can check your emails once every three days.
[ Tanaka ]After a year, your smartphone's condition depends on how much you've used it
[ Woman ]I'm your doll, I'm smiling at you,
[ Woman ]I'm your doll, come on, look at me
[ Woman ]We don't need anything, we're together
NAKAJIMA
[ SENJI NAKAJIMA ]Before, I could never have imagined a person
living with a doll, and not a wife, as a married man, but now I can
[ VO ]Mr. Nakajima is 62. His children have long been grown up, and now live in another city.
[ VO ]He’s happy with Saori now; they enjoy absolute mutual understanding and live in harmony.
[ Nakajima ]Men's values have deteriorated in recent years. Women have completely lost
confidence that having a man by their side will assure them a prosperous future.
[ Nakajima ]As a result...
how can I put it?
[ Nakajima ]People have practically...
stopped wanting to get married.
[ VO ]A forthcoming trip to the foothills of Mount Fuji with his sweetheart will be a special time.
Mr. Nakajima has spent a lot of time preparing for this weekend and he has big plans for tonight.
[ VO ]Mayumi has found an expert in demography and we’re on our way to meet her.
[ Mayumi ]You know, when we first saw you, we thought you looked
like one of the dolls. Of course, we were really surprised.
[ Kanako ]The biggest problem in Japan today is the decline in births and population
[ Kanako ]It's being called a national disaster
[ KANAKO AMANO NLI RESEARCH INSTITUTE ]If a country, where dolls sell very
well, sees a loss of interest in sex and declining birthrates, it's a problem
[ Kanako ]The Japanese are at a crossroads, facing the threat of extinction.
MORU & KERORO
[ Mayumi ] Good afternoon! [ ] Hi! That's my place, come on in!
[ Mayumi ]Thank you!
[ Moru ] It's right here [ Mayumi ]We got a bit lost
[ VO ]This is Mr. Moru’s house.
[ VO ]Mr. Keroro has come to visit. Their homes are quite close to each other and they both live with dolls.
[ Mayumi ]Oh, they're so big! They've been expecting us!
[ Moru ] What? [ Mayumi ] They're big!
[ Moru ]Yes, very big!
[ Mayumi ]May I try to pick one up? I want to see how heavy they are
[ Moru ]I'm old already. I haven't been doing any heavy lifting recently
[ Keroro ]Come on! Give it a go!
[ Mayumi ] She must be heavy for you [ Moru ]Yes, very!
[ Mayumi ] May I hold her? [ Moru ] Be my guest, but make it quick
[ Moru ]Got her?
[ Moru ]My wife and I always liked little antique dolls
[ Moru ]But my wife was taken seriously ill and she died four years ago
[ Moru ]After her death, there was a void in my heart
[ Moru ]Then I met this girl. I felt she might console me [ Moru ]Then I wanted that one too
[ Moru ]When I met them, my life became inextricably bound to them
[ Moru ]Since these girls appeared in my home, and thanks to them,
[ Moru ]I haven't felt that lonely anymore... without my wife
[ Moru ]The body shapes, heads and faces are copied from real people
[ Keroro ]Although, sometimes the realism is
exaggerated.This creates a kind of death mask effect
[ Mayumi ]Where do you keep their clothes? We'd like to see their outfits
[ Moru ] It's hardly a collection [ Mayumi ] Oh please, show us!
[ Moru ]I feel a little embarrassed. It's a bit of a mess in there
[ Moru ] Come up here! [ Mayumi ] I'm coming
[ Moru ]This way, please!
[ Mayumi ]Wow, it's so beautiful here!
[ Moru ]Our girls like these
[ Moru ]They’re sailor suits. Actually, they’re used.
[ Moru ]People wore them, and then they gave them to my dolls
[ Moru ]Sometimes, I tell them: Hey! I'm back!
[ Moru ]Sometimes, I talk to them without thinking
[ Moru ]Sometimes, I tell them: Hey! I’m back! Sometimes, I talk to them without thinking. I
might brush against them accidentally, or stumble on them, and then just blurt out, ‘Sorry!’
[ VO ]Meanwhile, Mr Nakajima has arrived in the foothills of Mount Fuji, where he and Saori are about to have a photo shoot.
[ Nakajima ]After sunset, it gets a little chilly
[ Nakajima ]If we go down there... we should get a good view of Mount Fuji
[ Nakajima ]There are pebbles here. Let me lift you higher
[ Nakajima ]Good! Great pose, just great!
[ Nakajima ]It looks very good [ ]Great shot!
[ Nakajima ]Look how great this shot is!
[ Nakajima ]It's so cool! Don't drop it!
[ Nakajima ]Don't let the camera fall, hold it properly! It's a little heavy
[ Nakajima ]Be careful with it!
[ VO ]Mr Nakajima is married but he lives with dolls and not his wife.
[ VO ]She’s here, as usual, at the agreed time. Maybe it’s out of habit, or
lingering worry about her husband, that she still helps with his household chores.
[ Yayoi ]Do you want anything to eat? I didn't have time to cook
[ Yayoi ]I've got yoghurt. Do you want any? [ Nakajima ]Yes, OK!
[ Yayoi ]I haven't touched anything, your dolls are sitting exactly as they were
[ Yayoi ]I just straightened them a little
[ VO ]Moru and Keroro enjoy taking their girlfriends for a fast ride.
[ VO ]That’s why Keroro has brought his convertible to the park.
[ VO ]These dolls weigh about 30 to 40 kilograms, making wheelchairs the easiest way to move them around.
[ Moru ] OK, let's go! [ Keroro ] Yes, let's
[ Woman ] Wow! Is that a doll? [ Moru ] It is
[ Woman ]And I thought, such beautiful girls in wheelchairs,
and they just can't walk
[ VO ]Soon these pictures will be added to Mr. Keroro’s family album. He has 20 dolls in all and every one is special.
[ Moru ] Mine got shy! [ Keroro ] Mine's worried! Her face doesn't look relaxed
[ Moru ]People say she doesn't move, she's not a living thing,
but she's alive for me
[ Moru ]That's how I see her. Besides, she changes her facial expressions for me
[ Moru ]Of course, we can't have a conversation, but the fact she's sitting
next to me now is healing for me, and there's no feeling of loneliness
[ Mayumi ]They look a bit tense. We're sorry for making them nervous, really really sorry!
[ Moru ]There are more cameras than usual
[ Moru ]I guess mine will look better in the photo
[ MAYUMI MEDIA COORDINATOR ]Yeah, it’s so strange! My mind keeps telling
me: No, I don’t want to understand this. I don’t want to know about this.
[ Mayumi ]And although I was uncomfortable in the beginning, I didn’t want to
judge them, I wanted to really listen to their stories. And respect them.
[ Mayumi ]When I started working for a production company in Japan, I
didn’t… I couldn’t go home. The work schedule was crazy. Like,
morning till night. Sometimes, I slept in the office, under the
desk. In the office I was the only girl working at that company.
[ Mayumi ]And the guys were sleeping sometimes. But it doesn’t matter,
it’s just the work first. Right? Work is the most important
thing or prioritised thing. I didn’t have time to make
friends, hang out with friends. Yeah. I’m getting older...
[ Mayumi ]Yes, I feel lonely.
HITSUJI
[ VO ]We returned to Tokyo and wanted to meet a girl called Hitsuji. She’s 27
and a popular model among Japan’s youth. She lives with a doll named, Masiro.
[ Hitsuji ]My girl...
[ Hitsuji ]My little Masiro!
[ Hitsuji ]For me, Masiro is not a friend
[ Hitsuji ]She's not a family member, or a loved one
[ Hitsuji ]She's a creature who accepts my love
[ Hitsuji ]When I return home after a long absence,
[ Hitsuji ]I hug her to say 'hello', and sometimes we kiss
[ Hitsuji ]Actually, I don't have any special feelings or love for people
[ Mayumi ]And you don't feel the need to have a partner?
[ Hitsuji ]I have never lived with
men... or consorted with them like that
[ Mayumi ]Don't you like men?
[ Hitsuji ]No, no, that's not the point!
[ KANAKO AMANO NLI RESEARCH INSTITUTE ]How many Japanese people in their
50s have never married? [ ]We'll draw the men's curve with a blue marker
[ Kanako ]Here it's spiking up.
The same with women: spiking up
[ Kanako ]This is the nation's most accurate and trustworthy research
[ Kanako ]If people in their 30s continue to give birth at the same rate, in 30 years, the population will decrease by a third
[ Kanako ]Instead of 3 people, there'll be 2
[ Kanako ]It's not hard to do the maths and see what'll happen next
[ Kanako ]Yes, it's true, we're an endangered species
[ Nakajima ]We like to go out walking, we both love it
[ VO ]A week later, and with the working days over, Nakajima and Saori are taking a short break, at his favourite hotel this time.
[ Nakajima ]She might not breathe and her expression never changes, but no one pays any attention to us
[ Mayumi ]I guess people think it's a person travelling with you?
[ Nakajima ]Yes, quite likely. Nobody thinks it's a doll
[ Nakajima ]She's made in such a way that she can easily fool folks
[ VO ]While the husband entertains Saori, his wife has come to clean for him.
[ Yayoi ]So, we can start?
[ YAYOI SENJI NAKAJIMA’S WIFE ]Once my future husband and I went for a ride
[ Yayoi ]When we stopped by a lake, he proposed to me [ ]He said: 'Marry
me.' It was so long ago . I don't remember what he said exactly,
but the idea was marry me
[ Yayoi ]After the wedding, we were so good together. We were in love
[ Yayoi ]I couldn't imagine he'd get a hobby like that
[ Nakajima ]Be careful! A little more… Get in there... Sorry!
[ Nakajima ]First of all, let me say I think about her.
[ Nakajima ]When I'm gone, there'll be no one to take care of her
[ Nakajima ]So, if I lose my health, if I get
sick, it'll mean the end of life for her
[ Nakajima ]And I'm always thinking about that
SUGAWARA
[ Sugawara ]We'll allow you to film. But show everything in a nice way, please!
[ VO ]We’ve come to see a doll factory.
[ Mayumi ]Do customers sometimes have to wait for their orders?
[ Sugawara ]Yes! For example, this head was ordered by a man
[ FUMITAKA SUGAWARA CRAFTSMAN ]He ordered three heads like this. All of them had to have different characters
[ Sugawara ]So, this is one of them. Naturally, if people
order several items at once, it takes a lot of time
[ VO ]Mister Sugawara says the customer’s order is a doll’s conception and opening the mould is its birth.
[ VO ]Today we‘re honoured to witness a new arrival. Introducing, Eugene.
[ Sugawara ] What a job! [ Mayumi ] Indeed, it is!
[ Sugawara ]Attention! It's coming out, look!
[ Sugawara ]Oh! Here, I have it! Happy birthday!
LULU
[ Girls ]Oh, hi! Good evening!
[ VO ]Tonight, Mayumi is introducing us to Japan’s most famous living doll. She
never removes her mask in public, and only ever talks through an intermediary.
[ Lulu ]I'm not saying that being alone is a bad thing
[ Lulu ]When I'm working on Lulu's look or creating something, mostly I feel lonely
[ Lulu ]But it conforms to my ideas, and suits my self-expression
[ LULU HASHIMOTO MODEL ]I'm expressing the desire to reach a beautiful ideal through a doll
[ Lulu ]That's why I value and welcome the time I spend alone so much
[ Lulu ]I don't think being alone is bad
[ Lulu ]Quite the contrary! For me, loneliness is a chance to rethink what I really am
[ Lulu ]It's an amazing time. That's how I see it
[ VO ]Rooms in this hotel, with its view of Mount Fuji have to be booked a few weeks in advance.
[ Nakajima ]If society recognises there are many people like this, there won't be any prejudice
[ Nakajima ]The attitude to dolls will change for the better. The dolls are very beautiful
[ Nakajima ]I think people will accept that I live with them
[ Mayumi ]What does your wife think about it? What does she tell you?
[ SENJI NAKAJIMA ]Well, I don't cheat on her with another woman
[ Nakajima ]If it was a person, not a doll, my wife would've been hurt
[ Nakajima ]I suppose she agrees with it
[ Nakajima ]That's what I think
[ Mayumi ]I need to choose a dress
[ VO ]Tonight, Mayumi is going on a date.
[ Mayumi ]I'm really nervous. I don't know how it'll go
[ Nakajima ]Let's take a bath
[ Nakajima ]The water feels nice, the water feels nice!
[ Nakajima ]Nice, isn't it? The water is great today…
[ Nakajima ]Good girl, let me wash you!
[ Nakajima ]You're so beautiful!
[ Nakajima ]Just like a model
[ Nakajima ]Last time, I hit my leg on this corner
[ Nakajima ]So now I'm trying to be more careful
[ Nakajima ]Let's go to sleep!
[ Nakajima ]Good night!
[ Nakajima ]What a wonderful day we had!
[ Mayumi ]I'm going there on a date. I think it's going to be a nice one
[ VO ]Mayumi had been invited to Tokyo’s famous Robot Restaurant.
[ VO ]But no one ever arrived to meet her.