When the spark went out of Masayuki Ozaki's marriage, he found an unusual outlet to plug the romantic void -- a silicone sex doll he swears is the love of his life.
The life-size dummy, called Mayu, shares his bed under the same roof as Ozaki's wife and teenage daughter in Tokyo, an arrangement that triggered angry rows before a delicate truce was finally declared.
Ozaki is one of an increasing number of Japanese men turning to rubber romance in a country that's lost its mojo.
He also admits to being turned off by human relationships.
Around 2,000 of the life-like dolls -- which cost from $6,000 and come with adjustable fingers, removable head and genitals -- are sold each year in Japan, according to industry insiders.
Popular with disabled customers and widowers, as well as mannequin fetishists, some men use dolls to avoid heartache.
As Japan struggles with a plummeting birthrate, a growing number of men -- known as 'herbivores' -- are turning their backs on love and traditional masculine values for a quiet, uncompetitive life.
Hyodo, a military buff who lives alone but has an understanding girlfriend, owns more than 10 life-size dummies -- many of which he dresses in combat uniform to play out wartime fantasies.
Future doll users can expect more bang for their buck as researchers work to develop next-generation sexbots able to talk, laugh and even simulate an orgasm.
