Japan prefecture pays citizens S$160 each to use dating apps
As Japan continues to wrestle with its dwindling birth rate, one prefecture is hoping to kickstart romance by paying citizens ¥20,000 (S$159) to start using dating apps.
On 10 April, Kochi Prefecture launched a subsidy program for young adults to help find romance, according to Sankei News.
Government-subsidised dating
The program aims to help young singles get partnered up and married.
Adults aged from 20 to 39 will be eligible to receive up to ¥20,000 from the government if they sign up for matchmaking applications that fit the criteria.
These applications must be certified as “Internet-based marriage partner introduction services” and often cost a little over the subsidy amount.
Finding love in Japan has shifted over the years, with matchmaking applications taking a more prominent role among younger generations.
A 2024 Japan’s Children and Families Agency survey found that one in four married individuals under the age of 39 met their spouse via dating apps.
This surpassed work and school as the most common way for young couples to meet and eventually tie the knot.
Source: Sankei News
While the nation is struggling with population decline, Shikoku Island, where Kochi Prefecture is part of, is one of the most affected areas.
It is one of the least populated prefectures in Japan and, with a population of only around 650,000, is shrinking due to young people moving away.
Population still decreasing despite marriages coming up
Kochi Prefecture is not the only one to employ such tactics. Further south, Miyazaki Prefecture has also reportedly provided ¥10,000 (S$79) for similar dating apps.
According to a report from last month, Japan saw a very slight rise in marriages in 2025. This is the second straight year of growth, and a positive sign for Japan after marriages plunged during the pandemic.
However, despite that, birth rate continues to be an issue as 2025 marks the 10th consecutive year that Japan set a new record low for births.
This is made worse by the fact that this figure includes births from foreign nationals within the country as well.
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Featured image adapted from Sankei News and mitumal on Canva. Right image is for illustration purposes only.Â
