- Tokyo invests $1.28 million in a government-backed dating app to boost marriage rates.
- The app requires rigorous registration, interviews, and a pledge to seek marriage partners.
- Japan faces critically low birth rates, an aging population, and potential economic and security implications.
Swipe right for a spouse: Tokyo plays cupid!
Tokyo’s government has taken a bold step to address Japan’s record-low birth rates by investing $1.28 million in a dating app for its residents.
The app, set to launch this summer, aims to encourage users to seek marriage partners through a rigorous registration process that includes providing a photo ID, income certificate, and an official document confirming relationship status.
Users must also attend a mandatory interview with the app’s operators and sign a pledge promising they are looking for a marriage partner, not just a casual relationship.
The government hopes this officially endorsed app will encourage people reluctant to use mainstream apps to find a spouse.
Where have all the babies gone?
Japan faces critically low birth and marriage rates, with data released by the Health Ministry revealing a 5.6% drop in the birth rate and a 6% decline in marriage rates in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Tokyo’s fertility rate, the number of children a woman is expected to give birth to during her lifetime, was just 0.99 in 2023.
The country’s aging population is projected to fall 30% by 2070, which could have severe implications for the economy and national security.
Japan’s government has set aside $34 billion in the 2024 budget for childcare and parental services, and even Elon Musk, a vocal advocate for addressing population decline, has expressed support for the app.
