Japan's birth rate is so low that the government of its largest city will take desperate measures to help couples find love.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's latest innovative idea is to play Cupid by launching a dating app, and it has already set aside $1.28 million for its debut by the end of the summer, a Japanese newspaper reported. Asahi Shimbun mentioned. Unlike other dating services, the government-sponsored project has strict measures to address a serious concern of people looking for love online: authenticity.
More than half of dating app users said they've encountered someone who misrepresents their relationship status or other parts of their profile, according to a 2021 study by Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co. In the United States, Pew Research Center is found 63% of men under 50 said they had encountered a scammer on a dating app, while 44% of women across age groups said the same.
To avoid these risks, the new government-sponsored app will force users to comply with extensive, even burdensome, requirements before signing up. To start swiping right, users will have to verify their income, submit a government document to prove they're single, and go through an interview with the company running the app. All information will be available to potential matches. The new platform is also not intended for casual daters; Users will have to sign a statement declaring that they are looking for a partner for marriage.
Although it may not be very romantic, Tokyo officials say the comprehensive prerequisites are necessary to avoid some of the problems users have had with fake profiles on other apps.
“We hope that this app, with its association with the government, will provide a sense of security and encourage those who are hesitant to use traditional apps to take the first step in their search for a partner,” a Tokyo official said. Asahi Shimbun.
There are other dating apps in Japan, including US-based platforms Tinder and Bumble, but the Tokyo government hopes its strict rules and disclosures can convince people who have been hesitant about the apps to give love a try. Although it may seem far-fetched, dating apps are popular in Japan and often match couples for marriage quickly. A 2023 study of just over 1,000 people conducted by Japan's largest life insurance company is found A quarter of participants who married within a year met their spouses via a dating app.
Japan's birth rate fell to a record low of 1.20 in 2023, according to figures released Wednesday by Japan's health ministry. A birth rate of 2.1 per woman is required to maintain broad population stability, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In Tokyo, the birth rate was even worse, falling to 0.99 for the first time on Wednesday. The 86,347 babies born in Tokyo in 2023 represents the lowest number of births since the end of World War II, according to Asahi Shimbun.
Needless to say, the Tokyo government is willing to try anything to bring back love.
“If there are many individuals who are interested in marriage but are unable to find a partner; “We want to provide support,” the Tokyo official said. Asahi Shimbun.