Why Use App Marriage Matching? "Because It's Easy to Lose Contact"

Popularity of Japanese Matching Apps... 1 in 10 Couples Married
Easier to Find Clear Ideal Types and Manage Breakups
Reflecting "Rational Communication and Risk-Avoidance Tendencies"

It is known that more than one in ten couples who recently got married in Japan met through online services that match marriage partners. This is interpreted as reflecting rationality and risk-avoidance tendencies.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 29th (local time), a survey by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research confirmed that 13.6% of recently married couples met through the internet, such as matching apps (services that connect new encounters online).

The number of unmarried men and women looking for marriage partners online is rapidly increasing. Yomiuri reported, "The reality is that even though they want to get married, they cannot meet suitable partners," and added, "Matching apps have captured these young people's demands."

Yomiuri introduced cases of couples who succeeded in marriage through matching apps. Ryoto Doro (28), an office worker living in Tokyo, married Masumi (30) five months after meeting on the matching app 'Pairs' last year. Ryoto's ideal type was a tall woman who communicated well and had an annual income of over 4 million yen (about 38.15 million KRW).

Also, Masumi's ideal type was a "person oriented toward overseas." Ryoto had study abroad experience, and the two quickly proceeded to marriage as they matched each other's ideal spouse types. Ryoto said, "I had no chance to meet my ideal spouse, so I wondered if I could get married by using the app."

Ayumi Ochiai, director of the Recruit Bridal Comprehensive Research Institute, said, "What young people value is rationality," and added, "Marriage activity (konkatsu) services such as matching apps and marriage information companies enable rational communication because the purpose of 'marriage' is clear."

According to the institute's "Impact Survey by Meeting Method" (2017), couples who used konkatsu services had the shortest average period from the start of dating to marriage, at 19.8 months. Other cases included workplace meetings at 36.1 months and introductions through acquaintances including matchmaking at 48.6 months.

In particular, matching apps are analyzed to be preferred because it is easier to end relationships after breakups. In the past, spouses were found at workplaces or residences, but the current generation does not want to endure uncomfortable situations caused by breakups within the same community. Director Ochiai explained that people met through matching apps can simply say "goodbye" if they do not match, and that matching apps combine rationality and risk avoidance.

However, Shin Sato, associate professor at the Tokyo Metropolitan University Law Department and author of "Introduction to the History of Japanese Konkatsu" and "Modern History of Online Konkatsu Platforms," expressed concerns about excessive reliance on konkatsu services.

He pointed out, "Originally, konkatsu is premised on meeting someone previously unknown, so it is common to look for people with various conditions such as 'household income,' 'number of children,' and 'appearance,' but individuals are not actually that strong."

He stated, "People may get sick, quit their jobs, or even lose their lives in the near future," and added, "The reason konkatsu causes fatigue is that one must present a future image amid uncertain futures, balancing one's own conditions and the conditions desired by the partner."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.