Japan government body Tokyo City Hall is launching a new initiative called “Tokyo Futari Story” (Tokyo Two People Story) to address the growing trend of loneliness and declining marriage rates in Japan. “Futari” translates to “two people,” highlighting the program’s goal of creating lasting couples. The birth rate in Japan has been falling rapidly and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the trend the “gravest crisis our country faces”.
While a website offering love advice and general information for singles is already live, the centerpiece of the programme is a dating app, which is under development. City officials aim for a late-2024 release, accessible through both smartphone and web.
Specific features of the app are still not clear. Japanese media speculation that the app might require stringent verification like driver’s licenses, income tax records, and even a pre-marriage commitment statement has been denied by city officials.
Marriage and fertility rates at all-time low in Japan
The program is a response to a worrying trend. Japan’s marriage rate is at an all-time low, mirroring a decline in birth rates. Health ministry data shows a drop from 504,930 marriages in 2022 to 474,717 in 2023. Births followed a similar trend, decreasing from 770,759 to 727,277.
The Tokyo initiative isn’t happening in isolation. The national government is tackling the labor shortage caused by the declining birth rate by offering financial incentives for families with children and expanding childcare facilities. Immigration policies have also been relaxed to attract foreign workers.
Factors behind declining birth rate
Japan’s “baby boom” era of the 1970s saw birth rates exceeding 2 million annually. However, today’s young adults, not just in Japan, are less interested in traditional marriage and child-rearing.
Several factors contribute to this shift. Long working hours, a culture of limited socializing outside work, and the high cost of raising children are all cited as potential deterrents.
Declining birth rates are a common trend in developed countries and Japan’s rate is still above that of its neighbour South Korea, which has the world’s lowest at 0.72. However, with the world’s oldest population after Monaco, Japan is scrambling for ways to encourage a baby boom to avert a looming demographic crisis.
While a website offering love advice and general information for singles is already live, the centerpiece of the programme is a dating app, which is under development. City officials aim for a late-2024 release, accessible through both smartphone and web.
Specific features of the app are still not clear. Japanese media speculation that the app might require stringent verification like driver’s licenses, income tax records, and even a pre-marriage commitment statement has been denied by city officials.
Marriage and fertility rates at all-time low in Japan
The program is a response to a worrying trend. Japan’s marriage rate is at an all-time low, mirroring a decline in birth rates. Health ministry data shows a drop from 504,930 marriages in 2022 to 474,717 in 2023. Births followed a similar trend, decreasing from 770,759 to 727,277.
The Tokyo initiative isn’t happening in isolation. The national government is tackling the labor shortage caused by the declining birth rate by offering financial incentives for families with children and expanding childcare facilities. Immigration policies have also been relaxed to attract foreign workers.
Factors behind declining birth rate
Japan’s “baby boom” era of the 1970s saw birth rates exceeding 2 million annually. However, today’s young adults, not just in Japan, are less interested in traditional marriage and child-rearing.
Several factors contribute to this shift. Long working hours, a culture of limited socializing outside work, and the high cost of raising children are all cited as potential deterrents.
Declining birth rates are a common trend in developed countries and Japan’s rate is still above that of its neighbour South Korea, which has the world’s lowest at 0.72. However, with the world’s oldest population after Monaco, Japan is scrambling for ways to encourage a baby boom to avert a looming demographic crisis.
