Japan Launches Dating App to Boost Birth Rate (original) (raw)

In a new effort to counteract Japan's rapidly declining birth rate, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to launch a dating app as early as this summer.

Announced by a government official, the unusual move is part of a broader initiative to encourage marriage and family formation among the city's residents, a response to the country's shrinking population.

The new app, unique in its rigorous verification process, is expected to require users to submit documentation proving they are legally single. Users must also sign a letter affirming their willingness to get married.

Government involvement in dating isn't unusual in Japan, where municipalities often organize matchmaking events, and while it is common for Japanese dating apps to ask for income details, Tokyo's app is set to go a step further by requiring a tax certificate slip to verify users' annual salaries.

A spokesperson for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) told Newsweek: "The factors contributing to the declining birthrate are complex and cannot be solved by any one measure. As part of the marriage support program, the TMG is working to encourage those who wish to get married but cannot take the first step, by generating momentum of support for marriage throughout society."

A stock photo of a person using a dating app. The Tokyo government is set to launch a dating app in a bid to counteract Japan's falling birth rates. A stock photo of a person using a dating app. The Tokyo government is set to launch a dating app in a bid to counteract Japan's falling birth rates. Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images

According to data released by Japan's Health Ministry on June 5, 727,277 babies were born in Japan in 2023, down 5.6 percent from the previous year and the lowest since the country started recording the statistics in 1899, the Associated Press reported.

Last year, Japan recorded more than twice as many deaths as births, and the country's fertility rate—the average number of babies a woman has in her lifetime—was 1.2.

Projections indicate that if current trends continue, Japan's population—more than 125 million people at the moment—could fall to 87 million by 2060, with 40 percent of the population being over the age of 65, which would have a significant effect on the country's economy and social services.

It isn't just births that are falling either. The Health Ministry's recently released data also showed that the number of marriages fell by 6 percent last year, to 474,717, the AP reported. Japan's low birth rate has been closely linked to the lower marriage rate, as births taking place outside of marriage are rare in the traditional society.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been vocal in his concerns about the country's falling population. He has advocated for measures such as increasing child care support, improving work-life balance and promoting immigration to supplement the declining workforce—with many of the measures seeking to incentivize young couples to start families by offering more support.

Update 06/11/24, 3:00 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional comment from the Tokyo government.

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