Ever need an "uncle" for life advice? In Japan, even if you don't have a blood relative, you can rent a middle-aged guy to hang out with you. Ossan Rental, which translates to Uncle Rental, allows people to hire an uncle for just $11 per hour.

But before anyone gets an idea, Ossan Rental isn't a sexual provider service. It is strictly a platonic service in Tokyo, which people can hire to help them with various things, sort of like how a wise middle-aged man would.

According to the Japanese Web site NariNari, translated by Kotaku.com, people can hire a man for an hour or so to do things with them, such as having lunch, watching movies, looking at new apartments, test driving cars, run errands for them, or even just talking about their love life.

There are currently only two men for rent, one is 46-year-old "fashion producer" Takanobu Nishimoto and the other is 65-year-old pro ballplayer Mikio Sendou, who was an All-Star in 1978.

In Sendou's case, people can hire him to sign old baseball cards.

Though some people would dismiss the business concept as ridiculous, there are patrons who think differently. Rental Share Web site reports that over 50 people have already used the service since it has launched at the end of July. Around 70 per cent of the customers were female, and the rest were male.

There are lots of repeat customers as well.

Ossan Rental claims that their men "chill very well," as translated by news.com.au.

"It is a service that is available for rent from 1000 yen for one hour old man," the company's Web site reads. "Rental method is simple! I put the old man in the cart. (Pay) by cash payment."