The birth rate in Japan is so low that the federal government of the country’s largest city is taking desperate measures to assist couples find partners.
The latest outlandish idea from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is to play Cupid by launching a dating app. $1.28 million has already been allocated to launch the app by the tip of the summer, reports Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun reportedUnlike other dating services, the government-backed project has strict measures in place to deal with a significant issue faced by people in search of love online: authenticity.
More than half of dating app users said someone misrepresented their marital status or other parts of their profile, in response to a 2021 study by Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., the portal reported. In the US, the Pew Research Center found 63% of men under 50 said they’d encountered a scammer on a dating app, while 44% of ladies of all ages said the identical.
To avoid these pitfalls, the brand new government-backed app will force users to satisfy thorough, even onerous, requirements before signing up. To swipe right, users can have to confirm their income, submit an official document to prove they’re single, and undergo an interview with the corporate that runs the app. All information might be available to potential partners. The latest platform can be not for casual dating; users can have to sign a press release saying they’re in search of a partner to marry.
While the app is not necessarily romantic, Tokyo authorities say its extensive requirements are crucial to avoid a number of the problems users have faced on other apps as a consequence of fake profiles.
“We hope that this app, with its connection to the government, will provide a sense of security and encourage those who have previously been hesitant to use traditional apps to take the first step in finding a partner,” said a Tokyo official. The Asahi Shimbun.
There are other dating apps in Japan, including US platforms Tinder and Bumble, however the Tokyo government hopes its strict rules and disclosures can persuade individuals who have been hesitant about apps to present love a probability. While it could seem far-fetched, dating apps are popular in Japan and infrequently bring couples together quickly. A 2023 study of just over 1,000 people by Japan’s largest life insurance company found that 1 / 4 of respondents who married inside a yr met their spouse through a dating app.
Japan’s birth rate fell to a record low of 1.20 in 2023, in response to figures released by Japan’s health ministry on Wednesday. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a birth rate of two.1 per woman is required to take care of a broadly stable population. In Tokyo, the birth rate was even worse, falling to 0.99 for the primary time on Wednesday. The 86,347 children born in Tokyo in 2023 marked the bottom birth rate because the end of World War II, in response to The Asahi Shimbun.
It goes without saying that the federal government in Tokyo would try all the pieces to bring love back.
“If there are many people who want to get married but cannot find a partner, we want to provide support,” the Tokyo official said. The Asahi Shimbun.
