"They'll Help You Get Engaged in Just Three Months?"... Where Young People Tired of Dating Apps Are Flocking [The World Is Z Now]

(88) Japanese Youth Pursue “Efficiency” in Dating and Marriage
Turn to Professional Matchmaking Services Instead of Dating Apps
Demand Grows for Services That Save Time and Effort Despite High Costs

Editor's NoteGeneration Z (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s) is drawing attention as a generation that leads culture and trends in a rapidly changing era and sets new standards across society. In [The World Is Z Now], we aim to shed light on the lives and values of Generation Z around the world and explore how they are changing society.

Meeting through matchmaking agencies is gaining popularity among young people in Japan. Young people who are tired of searching through countless potential partners on dating applications (apps) appear to be using these services to find a spouse more efficiently. The approach of saving time and effort while quickly finding a partner who meets their preferences is seen as aligning with young people's emphasis on efficiency.

Japanese Youth Turn to Professional Matchmaking Services Instead of Dating Apps

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According to The Japan Times recently, advertisements for matchmaking agencies have been appearing one after another on Tokyo's subway system. Common slogans include "Leave life's fateful encounters to the experts" and "One meeting is better than using a dating app 100 times." The message is that being introduced to someone with the same goal of marriage is more practical than meeting multiple people through dating apps.

The outlet reported, "True love may be so precious that it cannot be priced," but added that "in Japan, people in their 20s are turning to matchmaking agencies, willing to pay high fees in the hope of finding a marriage partner quickly."

In the past, a matchmaking custom known as "omiai," in which relatives or acquaintances introduced unmarried men and women to each other, was widespread in Japan. Dating apps later took its place, but matchmaking agencies, where professional counselors arrange introductions, are once again attracting attention among young people.

Dating-app fatigue is behind this shift. Finding someone on an app, exchanging messages and then arranging to meet in person can be cumbersome, and there are also cases of people cutting off contact and disappearing or lying about their identity. Some analysts also say that, as people's social circles shrink, demand is growing for introductions to trustworthy partners through professionals.

A 1.75 Million Won Fee Is Due Upon Engagement

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As demand for professional matchmaking services grows, Tokyo-based matchmaking agency IBJ is drawing attention. The company promotes a service designed to help members progress from registration to a first meeting and engagement in about three months. 

Yasuda Daizen, a 28-year-old office worker, is one of the young people who have joined the agency. Quiet and calm in nature, he described the matchmaking service as "the fastest way to find someone who shares the goal of getting married." In fact, just over a month after joining, Yasuda had narrowed his list of potential partners to two.

A counselor held practice dates with Yasuda and taught him how to carry on conversations and respond to awkward questions. The counselor also advised him on grooming and messaging etiquette, as well as date venues and schedules.

However, using these services comes at a considerable cost. Fees and eligibility requirements vary among matchmaking agencies affiliated with IBJ, but members generally pay monthly dues of $30 to $100 (about 40,000 to 135,000 won) and an enrollment fee of $650 to $1,300 (about 870,000 to 1.75 million won). If they get engaged, they must also pay a success fee of $1,300.

Eligibility is also limited. Applicants generally need to have a stable income, and the largest matchmaking agency directly operated by IBJ restricts membership to women aged 20 to 39 and men aged 25 to 49.

IBJ Chief Executive Officer Shigeru Ishizaka emphasized that matchmaking agencies do more than simply introduce potential partners; they support clients throughout the process of getting married. "We provide support that only people can offer so that people can get married as quickly as possible," he said.

Youth Focus on Efficiency... Traditional Matchmaking Industry Raises Concerns

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Experts say that young people's emphasis on efficiency is contributing to the growing use of matchmaking agencies. Professor Junko Yamada, who studies the psychology of romantic relationships at Tokai University in Japan, said, "In an increasingly digital society, there is a strong desire for someone to guide people through the process of dating." She said young people tend to maximize efficiency in many areas of their lives, and explained that matchmaking agencies meet this demand by connecting people who are certain they want to get married.

However, some critics say that corporate matchmaking services undermine the meaning of traditional matchmaking. They argue that these services pressure people to follow a set timeline for marriage and turn romance and marriage into ways to generate revenue.

Ikuko Kato, who has worked in matchmaking for 44 years, criticized corporate matchmaking agencies for focusing too heavily on business. She said she has matched more than 1,300 couples and claimed that not a single one of those couples has divorced. "Today's corporate matchmaking agencies can't do what I do," she said. "They focus too much on business."

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