Wakaresaseya (別れさせ屋, "breaker-uppers"); are Japanese businesses that specialize in breaking up relationships, often by drawing one of the partners into an affair or by producing other incriminating evidence.[1][2] For a fee, a customer names a target, and an undercover employee of the company then attempts to initiate an affair with the target or produce other incriminating evidence.[1] Though most often used to gather evidence of infidelity for use in a divorce case, it may also be used for purposes ranging from bringing shame to someone, securing the resignation of an employee, luring away the lover of one's spouse,[1] or breaking up some other relationship.[3] In 2005, there were around twelve such companies in Japan, but the field has grown since with companies offering services through the internet.[3]
People involved in the business agree that men make easier targets and will almost always be seduced by good looking operatives.[1]
The business entered the limelight in 2010 when a former operative of a wakaresaseya company was sentenced for murder. He had fallen in love with a target the company had assigned to him. After he confessed the business relationship to her, she wanted to leave him and he killed her.[3]