Tokyo officials will be launching a dating application as a "gentle push" for its citizens to find partners.

This is part of the government's efforts to boost the country's plunging birth rates.

"Gentle push" for citizens

AFP cited a Tokyo official in charge of the new application saying that it could be launched by as early as summer in 2024.

Interested users will have to undergo an interview to confirm their identity so that they can register themselves on the application.

They will also have to submit documentation proving they are legally single, as well as their annual income.

It is apparently common to state one's income on Japanese dating apps.

Additionally, users have to sign a letter stating they are willing to get married.

"We learned that 70 per cent of people who want to get married aren’t actively joining events or apps to look for a partner," the Tokyo official said, adding that the application would be a "gentle push" for singles to find a partner.

Declining birth rate exacerbating other societal issues

While it is not unusual for municipalities to organise matchmaking events in Japan, it is rare for a local government to develop an app, according to AFP.

Japan's birth rate has been declining over the years, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida calling the trend the "gravest crisis our country faces".

In 2023, birth rate dropped to a record low of 758,631, Reuters reported.

This has exacerbated the labour shortage in the country, as the number of young people rapidly declines.

PM Kishida and his government promised to implement policies, including financial aid for families, easier childcare access and more parental leave, to reverse the declining birth rate before it is too late.

Top image from Canva