"Actually, I'm Married" 17 Weeks Pregnant Bride-to-Be Faces Shocking Confession... "Concealed Singlehood" Shakes Japanese Society

"Fake Single Living" Gains Public Attention as Married Individuals Hide Marital Status

Out of 207 Victims Surveyed, 42 Experienced Pregnancy

Compensation Often Limited to Hundreds of Thousands of Yen... Calls for Criminal Penalties Grow

In Japan, the so-called "concealed singlehood," in which married individuals falsely claim to be single and pursue romantic relationships, is emerging as a social issue.

So-called "concealed singlehood" is emerging as a social issue in Japan. Photo for article understanding. Pixabay

On June 22, Nippon TV News reported the story of a woman in her 30s living in Tokyo, identified as Mayu (an alias). At 17 weeks pregnant, Mayu was told by her boyfriend, "I am actually married and have a child. I have not divorced." The baby she was carrying came after a year of infertility treatment.

The two met through an acquaintance in August 2022. Before they started dating, the man said, "I am divorced." Just two months after meeting, they promised to get married. The couple even attended infertility clinics together with marriage in mind, but the man only confessed to being married after about two years of dating, when he found out Mayu was pregnant. Shocked, Mayu gave birth to a daughter on her own and has since filed a damages lawsuit against the man, with a verdict expected soon.

Recently, as dating apps and social media services have become more widespread, meeting people without truly knowing their identity has become more common, spreading damages from "concealed singlehood" cases like this. Since the establishment of a "concealed singlehood victims’ group" two years ago, hundreds of counseling cases have reportedly been received. In an online survey conducted by this group, 42 out of 207 respondents said they had become pregnant as a result.

"Concealed singlehood" cases are also leading to legal disputes. In December 2025, the Tokyo District Court ordered a man who falsely claimed to be single to a woman he met on a dating app to pay about 1.5 million yen (approximately 14.3 million won) in damages, ruling that he violated her right to sexual self-determination.

As such incidents continue to occur, there are growing calls to strengthen criminal penalties against perpetrators. Under the current law, even if victims win civil damages lawsuits, the compensation amount often remains in the hundreds of thousands of yen.

Mana Shimaoka, a professor at Osaka University Graduate School, explained, "It is difficult to prosecute perpetrators for marriage fraud or fraud, as they have not stolen money or transferred property. Under the current criminal code, it is also difficult to charge the act of deceiving someone about being single to have sex as non-consensual intercourse."

The victims’ group has been campaigning online since February last year for the introduction of criminal penalties and an increase in civil compensation, and about 16,000 people have joined so far. Mayu, whose story was reported, said, "I hope my case being widely reported will deter at least some men from doing such things."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.