Facing an increasing trend of delayed or non-existent marriages in Japan, local governments are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful tool to reverse this societal shift. Traditional konkatsu matchmaking events are incorporating AI to analyze compatibilities between potential partners, resulting in unions that might not have been conceivable otherwise.
Many regions across Japan are adopting this innovative approach, with even the central government supporting such initiatives to combat the ongoing depopulation issue. Subsidies for publicly organized AI matchmaking events have seen expansion since fiscal year 2021.
The Children and Families Agency reports that, as of March last year, 31 out of Japan’s 47 prefectures provided AI matchmaking services for finding marriage partners, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government joining the movement in December.
In the quest to address concerns about a declining birthrate and an aging population, Ehime Prefecture in western Japan is leveraging big data to connect people with potential partners. The system recommends matches based on personal information registered with the marriage support center, along with the internet browsing history of individuals seeking a mate.
Hirotake Iwamaru, a counselor at Ehime Prefecture’s center, explained, “The purpose of this program is to broaden people’s horizons so they are not limited to thinking only about what academic institutions people went to or their age.” Approximately 90 couples annually benefit from the center’s support.
Tochigi Prefecture, located north of Tokyo, employs a similar system. Katsuji Katayanagi from its marriage support center noted, “Young people tend to leave things to others to do, so I think we need, occasionally, to ask big data to recommend partners.”
Another AI-based system involves users answering over 100 questions. The AI then analyzes the qualities a person seeks in a potential partner and vice versa before making introductions.
In Saitama Prefecture, where this system was introduced in 2018, 139 couples were married by the end of November last year. Some admit to meeting a person they might not have chosen independently, with a prefectural official stating the system is “providing for a variety of encounters.”
Shiga Prefecture, responding to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, launched an online marriage support center in 2022. Using a system similar to Saitama’s, the prefecture has seen 13 couples deciding to get married by the end of January, six of whom were introduced by AI.
A woman in her 30s, set to marry a partner she met through an AI service, shared, “I had some resistance and anxiety about using the system at first, but I am glad I had the courage to register.”
Mayu Komori, chief administrator of the Shiga prefectural child and youth bureau, emphasized the seriousness of those signing up for the service, noting the 15,000 yen registration fee for two years. She added, “Many people also feel reassured because it’s run by the prefectural government.”
Takeaki Uno, a professor of algorithm theory at the National Institute of Informatics involved in developing Ehime Prefecture’s system, sees AI in matchmaking services as broadening the range of potential partners. “In terms of cost-effectiveness, it is easier to use than the private sector, and it offers advantages to many people,” he stated.