At the end of last month, an Osaka-based company that had been developing an increasingly popular "sharing service" for luxury watches suddenly announced its dissolution.



The system was to deposit a watch, have it "shared," and receive a deposit fee based on the rank of the watch, but there are many voices of anxiety and confusion, such as "I haven't gotten my watch back." .

The company that entrusted the watch was suddenly dissolved.

On the 31st of last month, an Osaka-based company that operated Tokematch, a sharing service for luxury watches, announced on its website that it was disbanding.

Tokematch's system allows you to keep luxury watches, whose prices are rapidly increasing due to their increasing popularity, and rent them out on a monthly basis to those who want to use them.



The person who deposits the watch, as the ``owner,'' receives a monthly deposit fee from the company based on the rank of the watch.



The company advertised, ``A 'sharing economy' that is more practical than selling.You can enjoy a new type of watch life.''

The company's website states that the reason for the sudden dissolution is ``miscellaneous circumstances,'' and that the watches they have been keeping will ``ship within 6 months.'' However, they are currently unable to respond by phone. We are unable to contact you.

On social media, voices of anxiety and confusion are spreading, such as ``I haven't gotten my watch back,'' and ``What happened to my watch?''



NHK visited the apartment complex in Osaka where the company is located, but there was no response when pressing the intercom, and so far there has been no response to requests for an interview via email.

A total of 50 million yen worth of items, including a Rolex, were not returned...

A man in his 30s who works as a watch dealer says that 28 Rolex and other luxury watches that he had entrusted to him, worth a total of 50 million yen, have not been returned. In addition to being an attractive investment destination, the company providing the service was certified by an industry organization, so I thought it was trustworthy, so I signed a corporate contract and entrusted my inventory of watches to it.

It is said that he had deposited 45 luxury watches and was paying a monthly deposit fee of over 1 million yen, but at the end of last month, 17 watches were suddenly delivered to his home in a box.

A watch kept by a man

Becoming suspicious, I checked the company's website and found that it had been announced that the company had been disbanded and its services would be terminated.



The 28 watches that were never returned were among the most valuable items left behind.

Man:


Looking back now, we had a big campaign in December, and I think it was planned. It's obvious, but I would like my watch back. I think people who have invited friends and family to leave their watches with them will have their relationships destroyed.

My watch is listed for sale online

A man in his 30s, an office worker, who had entrusted four watches he had purchased for several million yen each to Tokematch, said that after the service suddenly ended at the end of last month, watch owners were saying, I learned that there are rumors that the watches are being sold online.

Men's watches listed on flea market apps

When he searched for the model number, he found a watch very similar to the one he had on sale on a flea market app.



Looking at the photo of the warranty card, we found that the date of purchase was the same, so we contacted the police, and when the police checked with the watch retailer who had sold it, they found that the serial number matched the man's watch. about it.

When I found the man


being sold, I was shocked and felt cheated. I'm looking for the remaining three books, wondering if they're being resold, but I think they're very difficult to find. I feel helpless rather than angry.

Sharing Economy Association ``We are very sorry for the misuse of authentication''

The company that was developing Tokematch is a member of the Sharing Economy Association, an industry organization, and has a "certification mark" indicating that it meets the conditions set by the association based on government guidelines. was also obtained.



In response to this trouble, the association canceled the company's certification and forced the company to withdraw from membership.



The company has indicated that it plans to review the certification conditions in the future.

Yuji Ueda, Sharing Economy Association, General Incorporated Association


We are very sorry that our representative director certification was misused. The certification aims to provide companies with a mechanism to reduce troubles between individuals sharing information, but it does not look at the financial status of individual companies.

Digital Agency: “I feel very sorry.”

The ``sharing economy,'' in which goods, services, and locations are shared via the Internet, is pervasive in everyday life, including flea market apps, private lodging, and car sharing.



According to a study conducted by the Sharing Economy Association, an industry group of which the company that developed Tokematch was a member, and a private think tank, the domestic market size in 2022 is estimated to be 2.6 trillion. It is estimated that the amount may exceed 15 trillion yen by 2032.



The government is also in the position of promoting policies, and the Digital Agency stated on its website, ``In collaboration with the Sharing Economy Association, the public and private sectors will work together to advance initiatives.''



In response to an interview with NHK, the Digital Agency said, ``While we recognize that the facts are still in the process of being clarified, we are extremely disappointed that such an incident occurred in a sharing economy that is expected to continue to develop in a healthy manner. We will continue to monitor future trends, including whether there is an increase in consumer troubles, and will consult with relevant ministries and agencies regarding responses as necessary."

Expert: ``We need to create a social safety net''

Masahiko Shoji, a professor at Musashi University who specializes in information sociology and is familiar with the sharing economy, explains the troubles surrounding Tokematch, an investment that allows you to earn a return by simply depositing your watch without having to rent it out. It points out that the business model was focused and the risks were high.

Professor Masahiko Shoji, Musashi University Users


also understand that the true nature of sharing services is to have someone use something that you are not using and receive a return in return, and that it is not something that will make you a lot of money. It is necessary to do so.



Many new businesses are immature, and there are risks in terms of consumer protection. We need to create a social safety net.