Boyfriend stories used to be boring.

This was in the days when professionals among Japanese women were few and far between -- when it was considered the norm for young women to graduate from junior college and then hanayome shugyo (train to be a bride) for a couple of years before launching into an arranged marriage. Japanese men were far too sober, hardworking and majime (serious) to provide much in the way of excitement.

But now, as increasing numbers of women join the ranks of the professional elite, the boyfriend has regressed in ways that provoke my friend Sachie to scream: "Arienaaaaai (impossible)!" Hikaru Genji (the title character from the 11th-century novel "Tale of Genji"), who stirred up the Heian Court by being gorgeous, wealthy and insatiably lusty? Pah! Heian or not, the "shining Prince" has nothing on today's Heisei boyfriends.