Japan's Kochi prefecture is offering financial incentives to encourage young singles to use dating apps, as part of broader efforts to combat the country's declining birthrates. People aged 20 to 39 in the southwestern region can receive up to 20,000 yen ($125) to cover most of the cost of approved matchmaking apps, including popular platforms like Tapple.
Subsidy Details and Reactions
Officials say the subsidy roughly matches annual fees for using the dating sites, and users will be surveyed later to assess the scheme's effectiveness. Kochi prefecture reportedly partnered with Tapple in December to promote safer and more reliable online dating. "The going rate for annual membership fees is a little over 20,000 yen, so we set the amount to cover most of the cost," a prefectural official told Sankei Shimbun.
Other regions, such as Miyazaki prefecture, have tried similar support but with smaller amounts of up to 10,000 yen. Public reactions have been mixed. While some welcome the idea, others argue that deeper issues like financial stress, long working hours, and the high cost of raising children make relationships and marriage difficult.
Dating Apps and Population Decline
Dating apps are a common way for young people in Japan to meet partners. A 2024 government survey found that roughly one in four married people under 39 met their spouse online, surpassing meetings through work or school. Japan's population challenges have worsened, especially in rural regions like Kochi, where many young people have moved away.
In 2024, Japan recorded nearly a million more deaths than births, the largest annual population decline since records began six decades ago. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported only 686,061 births, the lowest since 1899, and 1.59 million deaths. The population fell for the 16th straight year, with the steepest decline since comparable data collection began in 1950.
In August 2024, Japan's birthrate fell to its lowest level on record for the ninth consecutive year, with about 720,000 babies born, a drop of roughly 5% from the previous year. The World Bank ranks Japan as having the world's second-oldest population, after Monaco.
Previous Government Measures
Japanese authorities have previously implemented various measures to boost birthrates, including expanding childcare facilities, offering housing subsidies, and launching a government-run dating app. In more drastic steps, the Tokyo metropolitan government, one of the country's largest employers, last year introduced an experimental four-day work week for employees.
