Japanese couples, too busy for a normal social life, are increasingly turning to actors to play their friends on the most important days of their lives.

如今，越來越多忙于工作而沒時間進行正常社交的日本夫婦們常常在重要的日子租賃演員來假扮自己的朋友。

Several agencies have sprung up offering actors to attend weddings or even funerals. The first guest-for-hire company was established about nine years ago and around 10 now send out dozens of pretend friends to family events.

日本國內涌現出幾家提供參加婚禮甚至葬禮的演員的公司。日本首家“租友”公司創(chuàng)辦于約九年前，目前約有10家機構為家庭活動提供假朋友服務。

Agencies such as Hagemashi Tai - which means "I want to cheer you up" - charge around ?100 for each "guest". Other services such as giving a speech in praise of a bride or the groom cost extra.

像Hagemashi Tai(意為“我想讓你開心“)這樣的公司每提供一位朋友收費100英鎊。若要提供其它服務如致辭贊美新郎或新娘需額外收費。

The emergence of the small fake friends industry has been linked to social and economic changes in Japan. With lifetime employment a thing of the past, couples feel uncomfortable about inviting work colleagues to their wedding. Increasingly busy and put upon, many Japanese surround themselves with only a very small circle of friends.

小型“租友”行業(yè)的興起與日本的社會經濟變化密不可分。隨著終身雇傭成為歷史，人們越來越不情愿邀請同事來參加自己的婚禮。由于工作越來越忙，壓力越來越大，很多日本人的朋友圈都很小。

When they marry, however, they are under pressure to match the number of their new partner's wedding guests.

但在結婚的時候，又不能讓自己這邊的賓客比對方少。

Office Agents, the largest provider of pretend friends, makes sure that its employees have done their homework and know all about the bride or groom before the wedding.

規(guī)模最大的租友公司“辦公代理公司”要求其雇員在參加婚禮前做足功課，做到對新娘或新郎的情況了如指掌。

Hiroshi Mizutani, the company's founder, said the fake friends he provides must look happy, be well dressed and look like people with good jobs.

該公司的創(chuàng)建者弘水谷稱，他的公司提供的假扮朋友看上去一定要開心，穿著得體，讓人一看就是個工作體面的人。

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