With the spread of Covid-19 changing lifestyles, some couples are facing up to relationship issues that have gone ignored until now, pushing them to the brink of divorce.

And one service is stepping in to help them save their marriages, offering couples a breather from each other as they try to obey stay-at-home requests.

‘Corona Divorces’

The Japan Times reports today that after the phrase “corona divorce” surfaced on social media earlier this month, Kasoku, a Tokyo-based firm providing short-term rental units, launched an initiative to give couples the time and space they desperately needed.

“The goal is to avoid divorce,” said Kosuke Amano, the company’s spokesman.

“We hope couples first distance themselves and think about (their marriage). For our part, we will provide rooms that they can live in and an environment for teleworking.”

The Japanese stay-at-home request due to the virus is unlikely to be lifted anytime soon.

Japan declared a state of emergency nationwide on April 16, further expanding the coverage of the prior declaration covering Tokyo and six other prefectures.