People in Japan are having surgery on their hands to change their future. The Japanese believe in palm reading. They spend a lot of money (from $70) on going to palm readers. Many people are unhappy with the lines on their palms. They think some lines mean a bad future. The operation will change the length and shape of the lines. They think this might give them a brighter future. The operation takes 15 minutes and costs about $1,000. An electric scalpel burns a line on the palm. It looks like a love, money or happiness line. The scar takes a month to heal.

Many doctors say changing your palm lines does not work. They say it cannot change your future because it isn't natural. A London palm reader agrees, saying: "I read about this surgery and I was very surprised. Even by having surgery, the lines cannot be changed." He added that only physical action can change your future, for example, exercising to get healthy. However, people who had the surgery say it changed their life. A Tokyo surgeon changed a female patient's wedding line, and she got married soon after. Two other patients won the lottery after he made their fortune line longer.