New Delhi:Japan has been struggling with the challenge of declining birth rate and rapidly aging population for a long time. To deal with this problem, the government there moved away from traditional methods and took the help of technology. Under this thinking, a government dating app equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) was launched in 2024. Now the initial results of this initiative have emerged, which are considered quite encouraging. According to government data, out of hundreds of couples found through this app, 265 couples have got married. With this, the government hopes that there may be improvement in both marriage and birth rates in the coming years.
The Japanese government launched this dating app named ‘TOKYO Enmusubi’ in September 2024. Its objective was not just to meet people, but to give a platform to such youth who really want to get married. According to the government report, so far 265 couples have got married through this app. Apart from this, hundreds of other couples are in serious relationships and are preparing for marriage in the future. The government is considering this initiative as a positive step towards social change.
Before launching the app, the government had conducted a survey. It was found that about 70 percent of the people who wanted to get married were not looking for a life partner in any way. Many people were holding back due to hesitation, lack of time or not finding the right partner. Keeping this problem in mind, the government created such a platform where only people with serious intentions can participate. Its objective was to make dating not just entertainment but a reliable medium towards marriage.
No one could register directly on the government dating app. Every person applying was required to prove that he or she was legally unmarried. Apart from this, applicants also had to give online interview and submit many other documents. The purpose of these rules was to ensure that only those people who are genuinely ready for marriage come to the platform.
After the launch of this app, a large number of people showed interest. About 36,000 people had applied in the initial phase. However, after scrutiny of all the applications, only 16,000 people were given membership. According to government data available till June 30, among these members, 760 couples entered into serious relationships and 265 of them got married. This shows that the app selection and verification model proved effective.
The Japanese government has also shared the story of a woman as an example of the success of this initiative. Changing his name to protect his identity "Turtle" It has been told. The woman said that when she was nearing the age of 40, she used this app as her last hope. After several meetings, she met her future husband at the end of August. Within a few weeks, the two started a serious relationship and accepted the marriage proposal in late December. Today both are living a married life.
Although this app has received good response, the problem to Japan’s population still remains serious. According to government data released in June, only 6,71,236 children were born to Japanese citizens in the year 2025, which is the lowest figure ever. This is the tenth consecutive year when the number of children born in the country has decreased. On the other hand, the number of deaths was recorded at more than 16 lakh, which is more than double the number of births. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there has been a slight increase in the number of marriages, but the fertility rate has come down to 1.14.
