Day rates were once only found at seedy motels, but Barcelona-based start-up ByHours is partnering with high-end hotels across Europe to offer short stays to the next generation of business travellers looking to freshen up, take a nap and reply to emails before an important meeting or afternoon flight.

‘No sex please, we’re Japanese!’ Sensational headlines suggest that Japan’s sexual appetite is waning; half the population aren’t having sex. But as a country that boasts more sex establishments than there are McDonald’s outlets in America – with 1.4 million couples visiting them daily – is this lack of libido a myth?

Love and marriage don’t go together like a horse and carriage for Japan’s 20-somethings. A celebrity-inspired phenomenon has seen many eschew the dating game, instead going straight for the shotgun – marrying after minimal dating periods to avoid the hassle of getting to know someone.

How do you spend your free time? Playing a sport? Brunching with mates? Clubbing? New research has found that 80% of Japan's single workers are spending their time off alone, and mostly at home. With a culture of overwork, it looks like they’re too tired for socialising.