Japan is facing a major demographic challenge as its birth rate has plunged to an unprecedented low, prompting the government to launch its own dating app as early as this summer as part of government efforts to boost the national birth rate.
Japan’s new dating app
The dating app is an app where people who want to get married and aren’t actively seeking marriage, can start with dating. “We learned that 70% of people who want to get married aren’t actively joining events or apps to look for a partner,” a Tokyo government official in charge of the new app said. “We want to give them a gentle push to find one.”
This app will require the users to submit documentation proving they are legally single and sign a letter stating they are willing to get married. Stating one’s income is common on Japanese dating apps, but Tokyo will require a tax certificate slip to prove the annual salary.
An interview will be required to confirm a user’s identity as part of the registration process for the Tokyo app, which has been on a test run for free since late last year.
Many social media users expressed scepticism over the plans, with one saying, “Is this something the government should be doing with our tax?”
According to CNN, Elon Musk also showed support for this new move by the Japanese government to tackle the falling birth rate.
Japan’s falling population
In a nation with a population of 123.9 million, a mere 727,277 births were recorded last year, a stark decline revealed by data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This downward spiral in fertility is underscored by a drop in the fertility rate, now standing at 1.20, down from 1.26.
A stable population demands a fertility rate of 2.1. Yet, Japan has struggled to meet this benchmark for over five decades.
Marital unions, too, are on the decline, with a notable decrease of 30,000 marriages last year juxtaposed with a rise in divorces. Experts anticipate this decline to persist for decades, given the nation’s demographic imbalance.
The Japanese Prime Minister in 2023 said that the country is on the brink of not being able to function as a society because of its falling birth rate.
Efforts to mitigate these challenges are underway, with the government establishing specialized agencies to address the issue. Initiatives include the expansion of childcare facilities, housing subsidies for parents, and, in select regions, financial incentives for couples to have children.
