Moonstruck: Japanese billionaire's girlfriend entrants top 20,000
16/01/2020 05:37
By Sam Nussey
TOKYO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Applications to become Japanese
billionaire Yusaku Maezawa's girlfriend have topped 20,000,
streaming service AbemaTV said on Thursday, ahead of its
documentary on his search for a "life partner" to take on his
moon voyage.
Maezawa, who will be the first private passenger on Elon
Musk's SpaceX, has already generated huge social media buzz with
a $9 million giveaway to his followers that secured his position
as Japan's foremost Twitter celebrity. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N29J2J5
The show's application site now includes a "love diagnostic
test" where potential entrants can test their compatibility with
the entrepreneur, who sold his online fashion business Zozo Inc
3092.T to SoftBank Group Corp 9984.T last year. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N29H057
Multiple-choice questions include "If you rode in a private
jet where would you go?" and "If Maezawa farted in front of you
what would you say?", with users presented with a photo of the
billionaire varying from happy to sad depending on their score.
AbemaTV, backed by online ad agency CyberAgent 4751.T and
broadcaster TV Asahi 9409.T , is one of Japan's foremost
proponents of the reality dating show.
Securing Maezawa for "Full Moon Lovers" is a coup for the
service, which aims to generate social media traffic and is
targeting younger viewers who are turning off TV.
Current and upcoming AbemaTV shows include one in which
Japanese-speaking female contestants are paired with foreign men
who don't speak their language and another in which women go on
dates with "princes" several years their junior.
Japanese broadcasters have been slow to offer streaming even
as ad spending shifts online, worried about upsetting their
regional TV networks by offering nationwide streaming services.
Public broadcaster NHK, which had been legally constrained
from offering such services, will begin streaming in April
following rule changes last year.
The reality dating format got a boost in Japan with the
success of hit show Terrace House, which was developed by
broadcaster Fuji Holdings 4676.T before being picked up by
Netflix NFLX.O , building an international fan base through its
relaxed tone and mild-mannered contestants.
(Reporting by Sam Nussey; editing by Richard Pullin)
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