Japanese go solo as firms latch on to craving for alone time

TOKYO - Every so often, 33-year-old Masaki Kitakoga slips into a tiny booth with a desk and a chair and belts out karaoke tunes for 90 minutes - completely on his own.

Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favoring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: "ohitorisama", or "on your own".

Analysts say that Japan's demographic makeup -more than one third of households contain just one person - makes it perfect for the solo market, with many also craving "me time" in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society.