Tokyo Government Introduces Dating App To Tackle Dwindling Birth Rate (image@stillgray)

The Japanese government is taking up measures to boost its ebbing national birth rate. The Tokyo City Hall has announced the launch of a dating app called ‘Tokyo Futari Story’. The move is to address the increasing trend of loneliness and decline in marriage rates in the country.

Amidst grappling with labour shortages, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government is actively pursuing policies to increase birth rates. Apart from creating dating app, which is scheduled to launch in late 2024, the government is including provision of financial aid to families, easier access to child care, parental leave, and several other measures.

To gain access to the dating app, users might sign a letter stating that they are willing to get married. They are also required to submit documentation proving that they are legally singles. The users are also required to submit tax certificate slips to prove their annual salary.

Tokyo is facing the lowest marriage and birth rates. The Health Ministry data reported steep drop from 504,930 marriages in 2022 to 474,717 in 2023. The birth rate also dropped from 770,759 to 727,277 during the same period. The Japanese Prime Minister called the issue as the “gravest crisis our country faces”.

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Tokyo is also relaxing immigration policies aiming to lure foreign workers in order to mitigate labour shortages.

There are several given factors that adds up to the declining birth rates. The long working hours, limited socialising outside of the work, and high cost in raising children has deterred young adults of the country from traditional marriage and child-bearing. However, Japan’s birth rate remains higher than the South Korea, which lies as the world’s lowest at 0.72 percent.

Since the birth rate has dropped to an all-time low in 2023, it was quite common for the municipalities to hold matchmaking events. However, it was not common for the government to create an app as a measure to tackle the crisis.

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The Tokyo City Hall is also arranging events where singles can meet and the couples can receive counselling. Interestingly, the stories of how couples met can be turned into manga comics or songs, promoting a positive view of marriage.

SpaceX owner Elon Musk responded that he was glad Japan has recognized the matter. He said “if radical action isn’t taken, Japan (and many other countries) will disappear!”

I’m glad the government of Japan recognizes the importance of this matter.

If radical action isn’t taken, Japan (and many other countries) will disappear! https://t.co/5zTwRCQC3o

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2024