The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a new dating app, Tokyo Enmusubi, in September 2024 as part of its ongoing efforts to combat Japan’s declining birth rate and demographic crisis. The initiative aimed to facilitate matchmaking among singles in the capital, but early evaluations suggest the platform is struggling to compete with private-sector alternatives.
Japan’s Demographic Decline Accelerates
According to a Newsweek report published in early January, Japan recorded only 730,000 births in 2023, marking an all-time low, while deaths reached 1.58 million. With the country’s population currently estimated at 125 million, projections indicate a potential drop to 87 million by 2070, highlighting a significant demographic challenge.
Strict Registration Requirements and Limited Engagement
A few months after the launch of Tokyo Enmusubi, the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun assessed the app’s performance, comparing it to private competitors. One major difference, as reported by Courrier International, lies in the registration process. Unlike commercial dating apps, Tokyo Enmusubi imposes a series of bureaucratic requirements.
To register, users must provide:
- A government-issued ID
- A photo
- An official document from their city hall confirming they are single
- A certificate of income
- A sworn declaration ensuring the authenticity of these documents
Additionally, applicants must complete an online interview before gaining access to the platform. These measures, according to Yuichi Omori, a government official overseeing the app, are designed to create a safe and credible environment for users.
The app also limits interaction between users. Matches do not immediately lead to a conversation, and individuals can only request up to six dates per month.
Limited Adoption and Industry Response
These strict conditions have resulted in low adoption rates. By the end of 2024, Tokyo Enmusubi had only 12,000 registered users—a modest figure compared to the millions of users on competing private platforms.
As a result, private dating services have expressed little concern over government competition. Some industry representatives even view the initiative as beneficial, as public-sector involvement lends greater legitimacy to the matchmaking industry, which has often faced skepticism. “Thanks to the government’s investment, public perception of our industry is improving,” one industry insider told Courrier International.
Addressing the Root Causes of Declining Birth Rates
The launch of Tokyo Enmusubi is part of a broader governmental push to address Japan’s declining birth rate. Similar initiatives include publicly managed matchmaking services operated by local governments, which use methods akin to private agencies by matching individuals based on their hobbies, income, and residence.
However, the effectiveness of these efforts remains unclear. Because couples must leave Tokyo Enmusubi once they form a relationship, tracking marriage rates resulting from the platform is difficult.
Some experts argue that dating apps alone are insufficient to reverse demographic trends. Masami Saito, a feminist sociologist cited by Mainichi Shimbun, suggests a structural approach is needed. “Rather than developing new dating apps, it would be more effective to improve living conditions for precarious workers, whose financial instability prevents them from marrying, and to remove career obstacles for women that discourage family planning,” she explained.
While Tokyo Enmusubi represents a novel public-sector attempt to address Japan’s population crisis, its early struggles highlight the complexity of the issue. The challenge of reversing declining birth rates appears to require deeper social and economic reforms rather than digital matchmaking alone.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Government