25% of Japan's Young Married Couples Met Online
One in four married people under the age of 40 in Japan met their partner through a dating app, according to a Japanese government survey.
In July, the Children and Families Agency surveyed 20,000 people between the ages of 15 and 39 on the subject of marriage. Of the participants, 2,000 were married.
When married participants were asked how they had met, the most common answer, at 25%, was via a dating app. This was followed by 21% who said they met their partners through work, 10% who met at school, 9% who were introduced by friends, and 5% who met at parties.
When asked about their reasons for getting married, the largest number, at 44%, said it was because they had reached "the right age." Other reasons given for getting married were being worried about not being able to find a better partner in the future, and wanting to live with their partner as soon as possible.
Among unmarried participants, 56% thought getting married was not important, and 42% felt having a child was not important. Around 20% said they did not want to get married.
When asked what the biggest barrier to marriage was, the largest number, at 29%, said it was the lack of opportunities to meet possible partners.
Among both married and single people, 70% said there was a lack of education and support for life planning in important areas like careers, finances and having children.
The survey was organized because of Japan's falling birth rate, which is believed in large part to be because of the increasing number of adults who aren't getting married.
In response to the survey's findings, the Children and Families Agency says it wants to find ways to help people use dating apps safely, as well as providing government-run matchmaking services.
