Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Share

Tokyo government to release official dating app

Dating can be hard in this day and age with hurdles such as global pandemics and sold-out marriage vending machines. That’s why more and more people are turning to the convenience of dating apps to meet others in the hope of making a romantic connection.

However, these services themselves can be full of pitfalls such as misleading profiles and straight-up fraud. But now the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is here to help by releasing their own dating app with the security that only the world’s biggest bureaucracy can provide.

▼ In this building romance is done by the book

Photo: Pakutaso

The app is aimed at those 18 and up who are living, working, or studying in Tokyo. It is also said to utilize AI to find suitable pairings of users based on their personal info and a questionnaire, much like other dating apps.

What sets this app apart is the government-backed vetting process which requires users to prove their marital status and income, as well as take part in an online interview to confirm their identity. While people might be reluctant to provide personal info such as proof of income to a private company, submitting such things to the government is nothing new.

The basic system for this app has been in place since last December in a limited trial using a browser version and government employees and people who took part in government matchmaking events. Their feedback will be used to make improvements to the service moving forwards. It also appears that the browser version is open for anyone on the Tokyo Futari Story website to register while the app is still awaiting release.

And speaking of feedback, online reaction to the news has been lukewarm, with many pointing out that the government is once again trying to deal with the declining birthrate without tackling the obvious underlying causes such as economic stability and less demanding work schedules.

“Is Tokyo tax money going towards this? If this is meant to tackle late marriage and declining birthrates, then even a layman like myself thinks other things need to be done… But maybe I’m wrong and a dating app is the last resort?”

“This is pretty laughable, but if they want to be taken seriously, they should emphasize the fact that marital status, number of dependents, and income are all true.”

“This is just like Psycho-Pass.”

“I don’t know how this matchmaking works, but the government should probably stay out of weird stuff like this.”

“I tried to sign up for the browser version, but they required a studio photo so I never bothered.”

“Times are changing…”

“Older people might use this but they won’t help the birthrate and this is too much hassle for younger people.”

“Tokyo loves spending money on things that will never work.”

A dating app with a certain degree of trust could be an attractive option for many single people. We’ll just have to wait and see when it comes out later this year, pending approval from app distributors.

Sources: Tokyo Futari Story, Jiji.com, Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

Japanese government’s new birth rate plan: Use AI to tell people who’d be a good spouse for them

What do Japanese people think of their country’s low birthrate? 【Video】

“Where are the normal men?” A Japanese woman tells of five online dating woes

© SoraNews24

You may also like...