Japan’s new matchmaking service is Tinder, but make it Hal 9000.
Last year, Japan’s fertility rate plunged to 1.36 (from 1.42 in 2018), which is the number of children a woman is expected to have throughout her lifetime. While other nations struggle with overpopulation (including ours, of course), the dwindling birth rate has become one of Japan’s serious concerns in recent years.
More and more young people in Japan are consciously opting not to have children for reasons that include the usual suspects i.e. standard of living, economy, late marriages, etc. So the proposed solution? Hi-tech romance or, at least, hi-tech dating.
“We are especially planning to offer subsidies to local governments operating or starting up matchmaking projects that use AI,” according to Japanese cabinet officials.
AI can be used to provide more accurate and standardized information including preferences and hobbies, which was why Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s administration plans to allocate $19 million to the project.
Japan’s focus on fertility might seem futuristic, you might say, but we are really living in a world dependent on technologies and big data collection. And dating could certainly use some smart, AI-driven decisions. After all, we cannot be lumping on bad choices and trust issues all the time.
Read more:
The new Gen Z dating trend: ‘Thunberging,’ vibing over saving Earth
7 weird dating sims that’ll assure you being single is fine
Go face-to-face (virtually) with your Tinder date soon
Art by Yel Sayo
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