"I started wondering what would happen if I provided my ability to 'do nothing' as a service to clients," Morimoto reflected in an interview with Reuters."If I was so good at doing nothing, perhaps I could turn it into a business."
Inspired by a blog post by Japanese writer Jinnosuke Kokoroya—which posited that people still retain intrinsic value even when they produce nothing—Morimoto posted a fateful tweet on Twitter (now X) in June 2018:
“I am offering a service called ‘Rental Person Who Does Nothing.’ It is available for any situation where you simply want a person to be there. I can only provide basic responses to questions, but beyond that, I can do nothing.”
What Does "Doing Nothing" Actually Look Like?
Morimoto's operational rules are strictly defined to protect the concept's purity. He charges a standard flat fee—around 10,000 Japanese yen (approximately $70 USD) per booking—plus expenses such as travel and meal costs.
His assignments range from the everyday to the surprisingly poignant: