Tokyo [Japan], Jan 31 : Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa recently backed off from his plan to seek a female companion to accompany him on a trip around the Moon.
The e-commerce industrialist had made an unusual deal with SpaceX to be launched on a voyage circumnavigating the Moon atop the yet to be released Star Ship spacecraft.
According to The Verge, he paid a huge sum of money in advance for the space flight that is scheduled for 2023.
The Zozotown founder had originally planned to take a bunch of artists along with him but then decided upon finding a romantic partner to accompany him instead, which he would select through a reality television documentary named "Full Moon Lovers" by AbemaTV.
But what may come as a disappointment for thousands of women who had eagerly signed up for this opportunity, Maezawa recently withdrew from the show, attributing his move to "personal reasons".
Clarifying about his decision, he wrote on Twitter, "Due to personal reasons, I have informed AbemaTV yesterday with my decision to no longer participate in the matchmaking documentary, hence requested for the cancellation of the show."
He then commented: "Despite my genuine and honest determination toward the show, there was a part of me that still had mixed feelings about my participation."
He went on further in a rather remorseful tone: "To think that 27,722 women, with earnest intentions and courage, had used their precious time to apply makes me feel extremely remorseful to conclude and inform everyone with this selfish decision of mine."

In the end, Maezawa added: "I understand that I have disappointed many people - the applicants and all the staff from AbemaTV who were involved in the production - and I apologize to everyone for my unfavorable actions. I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart."