Driven by an increasing sense of loneliness, the concept of a shared house is being adopted by Japan's young singletons. Yet with so many people in Japan struggling with social anxieties, how are these micro-communities forming?

Scientists at Keio University in Japan are developing digital advertising posters in the form of interactive kiss-o-grams which allow users to get up close and personal with their favourite pop idols.

Despite its collectivist traditions, Japan is seeing a rise of individuals who are actively rejecting the company of others. And from one-person karaoke boxes to solo restaurant booths, businesses are adapting to this unconventional customer.

New pressures imposed by the social wave of digital innovation are changing attitudes to solitude, which has been largely neglected as a positive lifestyle choice.