TOKYO – The Japanese government has decided to launch an official dating app to help people get married and start families.
The decision was taken after the country witnessed record-low birth and marriage rates. Latest data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed Japan only recorded 727,277 births last year.
Experts suggest that for any country to maintain a stable population, a fertility rate of 2.1 is necessary. However, in Japan, the birth rate has remained significantly below 2.1 for half a century.
The rapid decline in population in Japan is attributed to both a decrease in childbirths and an increase in deaths.
According to the Ministry of Health, there were 1.57 million deaths in the country last year, which was several times higher than the birth rate. Another factor is declining trend in marriages as country registered only 30,000 marriages last year.
To address the issue of declining birth rates, the government is introducing a dating app. Additionally, the government is taking measures to improve childcare facilities, offer housing subsidies to parents, and initiate incentives for couples in certain regions to have children.
