A recent government survey revealed that dating apps are the most common way couples meet, with 25% of married respondents finding their partner through such platforms.
This was followed by workplace exposure at 21 percent and schools at 10 percent, according to preliminary figures released by the Department of Children and Families on Aug. 26.
The bureau conducted a nationwide online survey in July targeting 18,000 single people and 2,000 married people aged between 15 and 39. The purpose was to understand the younger generation's attitudes toward marriage and relationships.
The survey was launched in response to a decline in Japan's birth rate, which is largely due to an increase in unmarried adults and delayed marriage.
When asked why they married their current partner, the most common answer, at 44%, was “Because I reached the right age.”
This was followed by anxiety about finding a better partner in the future and a desire to move in with a partner as soon as possible.
Among unmarried respondents, the largest proportion (29%) said the biggest obstacle to marriage was a lack of opportunities to meet a future partner.
This was followed by those who considered the idea of ​​marriage irrelevant or unrealistic, and those who worried about losing personal freedom.
About 20% of unmarried people surveyed had no intention of getting married.
An overwhelming majority of both groups – 70 percent – reported a lack of education and support in areas such as financial planning, career development, marriage, pregnancy and childbirth.
Research suggests that increased access to this kind of life planning education and support could have a positive impact on people's attitudes towards marriage and relationships.
Currently, an increasing number of local governments are offering marriage promotion programs, and over 35% of unmarried respondents were aware of such programs, and 33% expressed interest in taking advantage of them.
The most desired program among respondents was a government-controlled dating app.
The survey is part of a broader project by the organisation aimed at supporting young people's marriage and life development.
The agency set up a working group in July to guide the project, consisting of outside experts and university students.
In an interim report released alongside the survey results, the working group stressed the importance of expanding access to life planning assistance programs.
The report also highlighted the need to increase awareness and utilization of government-sponsored matchmaking programs, especially among people in their 20s.
The agency plans to incorporate the study's findings and the task force's recommendations into its budget request, aiming to strengthen programs that promote marriage and childbirth.