The government’s launch of a dating app sounds like an idea that only appears in policy documents. However, Tokyo, Japan, has really done it, and this attempt has begun to produce practical results. AI matching not only promotes love, but has even led to marriage for users. according to Reported by Tech Xplore, this one is called “Tokyo connection” (Tokyo Enmusubi)’s official dating platform will be officially launched in September 2024. The policy purpose behind it is very clear: to alleviate Japan’s worsening birth rate crisis.
Tokyo uses AI as matchmaker to help match hundreds of new couples
The starting point of this service came from a survey that showed that although many people said they “want to get married,” about 70% of them were not actively looking for a partner. The government believes that if the threshold for making friends can be lowered and a more trustworthy matching environment can be provided, more people may be able to take the first step. Therefore, the Tokyo city government decided to directly intervene in this field usually dominated by private technology companies.
In order to maintain the credibility and security of the platform, all applicants must prove that they are legally single and pass an online interview before they can be eligible for matching. This process has also resulted in a significant reduction in the number of applicants. As of the end of June 2026, there were 16,000 platform members, well below the initial approximately 36,000 applicants. Although the scale has been reduced, the remaining users are obviously more in line with the platform’s positioning and needs.
Even more striking are the results. According to official data released this month, 760 couples have established “stable relationships” through the app, and 265 of them have entered marriage. For a government-led dating service, such a conversion rate is quite rare, and it also makes the outside world rethink the possibility of public policy and technology intervening in private life. User stories also make the service more convincing. A woman with the online name “Turtle” shared that she registered on the platform as a “last ditch effort” when she was about to celebrate her 40th birthday. She met her current husband in late August, and the two began a serious relationship in mid-September and decided to get married in December. Another man named “Skytree” said that the AI’s matching score made him more willing to try to meet new people: “Even if you are not sure whether to go out on a date, a high matching score will give you the courage you need.”
Behind these personal stories is the rapid deterioration of Japan’s demographic structure. The number of births in Japan fell to 671,236 in 2025, a record low and the tenth straight year of decline. That same year, 1.6 million people died, almost twice as many as births. The fertility rate fell slightly to 1.14, well below the 2.07 needed to sustain the population. Although the number of marriages has rebounded slightly, overall demographic trends remain worrying.
Against this background, the government’s launch of AI dating apps is no longer just a novelty, but an extension of policy measures. It symbolizes that the Japanese government has to step into the market originally controlled by private enterprises and intervene in people’s life choices in a more direct way. The uniqueness and urgency of this approach reflect the severity of Japan’s demographic crisis.
Source: KOCPC Chinese