Japan is offering financial incentives for single women to move out of Tokyo

Government to also cover travel costs of single women for matchmaking events in countryside

Japan is planning to launch a new initiative to support single women moving from Tokyo to rural areas to get married, a move aimed at addressing the shrinking female population in the countryside.

The government believes it would also counter the trend of young women remaining in Tokyo for education or work, which has led to fewer single women in rural areas compared to single men, worsening depopulation challenges.

The government will also cover travel costs for matchmaking events and provide additional financial incentives for those who move, The Japan Times reported.

According to the 2020 national census, the total number of single women aged 15 to 49 in 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, excluding Tokyo, was about 9.1 million. This is approximately 20 per cent less than the 11.1 million single men in the same age group, with the gap reaching around 30 per cent in some prefectures.

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

The initiative will expand an existing subsidy program, offering up to $7,000 to women relocating from Tokyo’s 23 wards.

Japan is grappling with a significant demographic challenge as its birth rate hit an all-time low, with only 727,277 births recorded last year and a fertility rate of 1.20, far below the 2.1 needed for a stable population.

People walk through a shopping street in Tokyo, Friday, 16 August 2024 (Associated Press)

To address the declining population and its impact on the workforce and economy, the government has launched various initiatives, including financial incentives for couples to have children, expanded childcare facilities, and even a state-backed dating app in Tokyo that uses AI to match singles.

“If there are many individuals interested in marriage but unable to find a partner, we want to provide support,” a Tokyo official was quoted by The Asahi Shimbun as saying.

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

While some experts warn against drastic fears of societal collapse, Japan is actively working to encourage marriage and family growth to counterbalance the demographic decline.

Prime minister Fumio Kishida has called the drop in birth rates the “gravest crisis our country faces”.