Japan faces a major demographic challenge

Japan is planning a new initiative to encourage single women to move from Tokyo to rural areas and get married in an effort to counteract the country’s declining female population in rural areas.

The government hopes that this measure will counteract the trend of increasing numbers of young women staying in Tokyo for education or work. This trend has resulted in fewer single women than single men in rural areas, exacerbating the problem of depopulation.

As reported by The Japan TimesThe state covers travel costs to matchmaking events and offers additional financial incentives for those moving.

According to the 2020 census, there were about 9.1 million single women between the ages of 15 and 49 in 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures (excluding Tokyo). That’s about 20% fewer than the 11.1 million single men in the same age group, with the difference being as high as 30% in some areas.

In recent years, more women than men have moved to the greater Tokyo area. They tend not to return to rural areas after moving for education or work, resulting in fewer single women than single men living in rural areas.

The new initiative will expand an existing subsidy program that provides up to $7,000 to women moving from Tokyo’s 23 wards to rural areas.

Japan is facing a major demographic challenge, with its birth rate at an all-time low: only 727,277 births were registered last year and the fertility rate is 1.20, well below the 2.1 needed for a stable population.

To counteract the population decline and its impact on the workforce and the economy, the government has introduced various initiatives, including financial incentives for couples to have children, the expansion of childcare facilities, and even a government-backed dating app in Tokyo that uses AI to match singles.

“If there are many people who are interested in marriage but cannot find a partner, we want to offer support,” a Tokyo official told the Asahi Shimbun.

“We hope that this app, with its government connection, will provide a sense of security and encourage those who have previously been hesitant to use traditional apps to take the first step in finding a partner.”

While some experts warn of societal collapse, Japan is actively seeking to increase the number of marriages and families to counteract demographic decline.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the falling birth rates as “the most serious crisis facing our country.”