Japan 'Herbivore Men' Abstain From Sex, Business Careers

As a result of Japan's languishing economy, a growing population of young adult males is deeming themselves "herbivores" and pursuing a radically different lifestyle than traditionally expected, Reuters reports. Herbivores derive their name from their disinterest in flesh--or the pursuit of women--and, according to a survey cited by Reuters, are a growing population of rebels who have no wish to follow in the corporate footsteps of their fathers.

Forget being a workaholic, corporate salary-man. These men, raised as the economic bubble burst, are turning their backs on Japan's stereotypical male roles in what is seen as a symptom of growing disillusionment in their country's troubled economy.

"Since I was a child, I hated people telling me, 'Behave like a man'," said Roshinante, who runs a forum on popular Japanese social network site Mixi for frank discussion about herbivores.

Roshinante, the 'herbivore' whom the Reuters story centers on, rejects the money-driven careers and attention-seeking purchases endemic during economic bubbles, especially during the 1980s in Japan, and his different perspective as a consumer intrigues marketing experts. Due to the herbivores' abstention from material extravagance, though, they will presumably be a tougher market to break into.

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