Japan is introducing a new initiative to encourage single women to move from Tokyo to rural areas in hopes of addressing the declining female population in the countryside and boosting marriage rates. The program, which expands on an existing subsidy, will provide up to $7,000 to women who relocate from Tokyo’s 23 wards to more rural regions. This financial support aims to counter the trend of young women remaining in Tokyo for education or work, which has led to a significant imbalance in the number of single men and women in rural areas, contributing to ongoing depopulation issues.
According to a report by The Japan Times, the government will also cover travel expenses for women attending matchmaking events, providing additional incentives for relocation. This initiative comes in response to a growing demographic challenge in Japan, where the population is ageing rapidly, and birth rates have hit record lows.
Data from the 2020 national census highlights the disparity, showing around 9.1 million single women aged 15 to 49 in 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, excluding Tokyo. This is approximately 20% fewer than the 11.1 million single men in the same age group, with some areas showing a gap as large as 30%. Over recent years, more women than men have moved to Tokyo and its surrounding areas for education or employment opportunities. Once they relocate, these women are less likely to return to rural regions, leading to a shortage of single women in the countryside.
Japan’s demographic crisis has been escalating, with only 727,277 births recorded last year and a fertility rate of 1.20, significantly lower than the 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population. To combat this decline and its effects on the workforce and economy, the Japanese government has introduced various measures. These include financial incentives for couples to have children, expanded childcare facilities, and even a state-backed dating app in Tokyo that uses artificial intelligence 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 told The Asahi Shimbun. “We hope that this app, with its government backing, will offer a sense of security and encourage those who have been hesitant to use traditional dating apps to take the first step toward finding a partner.”
Despite some experts downplaying the risks of societal collapse, Japan is actively promoting marriage and family growth to counter its demographic decline. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the falling birth rates the “gravest crisis our country faces,” highlighting the urgency of these new initiatives.