The man, who says he has had sex with five women but prefers the dolls, is one
of a gradually increasing, though secretive, group of Japanese men who have
given up on women.
A Japanese maker said it started producing its life-sized and anatomically
correct dolls 30 years ago, targeting initially handicapped men who might find
it difficult to find a partner.
Orient Industry Co. now makes 80 dolls a month in an eastern Tokyo factory to
nine designs that sell for between $850 and $5,500 each. The more expensive
models are made of silicon and have 35 movable joints.
Nearly all of the people who buy these dolls are single men and about 60
percent of them are over the age of 40, a company official said.
"Nowadays, women are sometimes more dominant than men in the real world, and
they don't always pay attention to men," said Hideo Tsuchiya, the company's
president.
"More and more men are finding themselves miserable so we're making these dolls
partly in support of men."
The anonymity of buying a sex doll over the Internet has helped the business
grow but Orient Industry also has a showroom displaying its wares.
Many have parted lips, prominent breasts and are shown splayed across beds or
chairs in poses similar to those adopted by prostitutes in sex shops.
Ta-Bo says his parents are not aware of his companions as he has never invited
them to his apartment.
He admits that carrying the dolls, changing their clothes and bathing them is
almost like nursing bedridden people, but says for him and a few male friends
who share his hobby, the dolls are the only emotional outlet.
"Sex with human girls was better, but I hate the process of dating," he said.
