TOKYO: Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in helping people find life partners in Japan, where local governments are using AI-powered matchmaking services to encourage marriage and address the country’s declining birth rate.
Japan has experienced a steady decline in marriages and births in recent years, while its aging population continues to grow.
In response, several local governments have partnered with private companies to introduce AI-based matchmaking systems that recommend compatible partners based on users’ personalities, values, interests, hobbies, and lifestyles.
An AI-powered matchmaking app launched in September 2024 aims to make it easier for people seeking marriage to find long-term partners.
To register, users must provide verified identification, prove they are legally unmarried, submit income-related documents, and complete an online interview.
Officials say the technology has encouraged more people, particularly younger adults, to consider marriage. Many young people had previously shown little interest in traditional matchmaking services, but AI-driven platforms are attracting greater participation by offering more personalized recommendations.
Authorities report that the initiative has contributed to an increase in marriages in several Japanese cities.
The broader objective of the program is to help reverse Japan’s falling birth rate, with the government introducing various measures to promote marriage and family formation.
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Experts caution that while artificial intelligence cannot determine relationships on its own, it can help remove barriers in the search for compatible partners by improving the matching process and making it more efficient.
