Japan's youth hesitant about marriage; govt seeks to assist amid population crisis

Japanese government has initiated consultations with young people to gauge their interest in marriage, as country faces a looming demographic crisis predicted to lead to a significant population decline in coming decades.

As per reports, the Children and Families Agency, established in April 2023, held its first working group meeting on Friday to explore ways to support youths in finding partners through various means such as dating and matchmaking. The meeting included participants contemplating future marriage and experts familiar with issues affecting younger generations.

An agency official was quoted in one of the reports saying that contemporary views on marriage among youth differ from traditional norms. Government is now seeking input from single individuals to understand their perspectives.

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Ayuko Kato, Minister of State for Children’s Policies, underlined the importance of respecting diverse values and individual viewpoints in marriage and child-rearing. “We would appreciate hearing your genuine opinions—what you are thinking and what might be hindering you from achieving your goals,” Kato stated.

The agency referenced a survey of single individuals aged 25 to 34, which revealed that 43.3% of men and 48.1% of women had not met potential partners in 2021. Many participants admitted they had not taken steps to improve their chances, such as attending matchmaking events or seeking introductions through friends.

This decline in marriage rates is seen as a major factor contributing to Japan’s low birthrate and aging population. In 2023, number of marriages fell below 500,000 for the first time since 1930s. Concurrently, births decreased by 5.1% to 758,631, approaching 755,000 figure predicted by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research for 2035.

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Surveys indicate that many young Japanese are hesitant to marry or start families due to concerns over the high cost of living in major cities, limited job opportunities, and a work culture that hampers both partners from maintaining careers or makes it challenging for women to return to full-time work after childbirth.

In response, local governments have implemented various measures, including daycare services and matchmaking initiatives. For instance, Tokyo metropolitan government plans to introduce a dating app this summer.