From Tokyo with Love: Japan launches government-backed dating app that requires pledges, interviews and more

Dating app

Dating apps are there by dime a dozen. There’s Tinder, there’s Grindr, Bumble and whatnot. But a government-run dating app? That might just be a first and something that the Japanese government has announced. Why? The birth rate in Japan has been falling rapidly and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the trend the "gravest crisis our country faces”.

According to online reports, the government-backed dating app will be operated by a private contractor. Japan has allocated close to 500 million yen for the dating app and some other “marriage promotion” projects.

The app will have strict registration process, as per reports. Users will have to give an income certificate alongside proof of being single through documents. Furthermore, 15 more personal data, including educational background, height, occupation among other will have to be shared. The app operators will then conduct an interview before anyone is allowed to register on the app.

That’s not all, users will have to sign a pledge stating that they have signed up to find a marriage partner and not just for casual dating.

“If there are many individuals interested in marriage but unable to find a partner, we want to provide support,” a Tokyo was quoted as saying. “We hope that this app, with its association with the government, will provide a sense of security and encourage those who have been hesitant to use traditional apps to take the first step in their search for a partner.”

Japan has been trialing the app since December 2023 with a select few government employees and volunteers. The app is available in both mobile and web versions for users in Tokyo as of now.

The launch of the app has certainly made Elon Musk happy. The Tesla CEO has been hammering away for years now about the falling birth rate across the world a big challenge before mankind. In February 2024, he posted on X “Japan will disappear if something doesn’t change,” when Japan’s low birth rate numbers were published.

Musk once again has posted after the news of the Japanese dating app came out. “I’m glad the government of Japan recognises the importance of this matter. If radical action isn’t taken, Japan (and many other countries) will disappear!,” he said on the social media platform.