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Tokyo (CNN) — When Keisuke Arai switched to working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, he began bickering more with his long-term girlfriend.

Suspecting he wasn't alone, the Tokyo-based tourism operator wondered how couples across Japan were coping under lockdown, as they adjusted to being together 24/7 under the same roof.
On April 3, he got his answer as the hashtag #coronadivorce -- where people largely ranted about their partners -- started trending on social media.

In response, Arai's company, Kasoku, started advertising hundreds of empty vacation rentals to stressed-out couples.

"We wanted to prevent people from divorcing," says Arai. "The idea behind the vacation rentals is so that married couples can gain some much-needed time and space to think about their relationships."