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Single people in a prefecture in Japan will now be paid up to 20,000 yen (Rs 12,000) to help cover the cost of using dating apps in a bid to address the declining birth rate and lack of romantic relationships.
The Japanese prefecture of Kochi is offering an annual subsidy of 20,000 yen to residents between the ages of 20 and 39 for registering and using certified matchmaking services.
“To support young people who wish to meet partners and get married, the prefecture has launched a subsidy program for matching app usage fees starting April 1, 2026,” the government said in an official press release.
Under this scheme, users will be able to pay admission fees, registration fees, usage fees, monthly fees and more for match-making apps between April
1, 2026 and March 10, 2027, with a maximum subsidy of 20,000 yen per person.
Users can also submit multiple applications until the maximum subsidy amount is reached, without any limit.
Beyond offering subsidies directly to individuals, the Kochi local government is funding organisations that host matchmaking events, in hopes of boosting opportunities for single people to meet, date, and marry.
“As part of measures to address the declining birthrate, Kochi Prefecture provides subsidies under the “Kochi Prefecture Opportunity for Meeting Support Project Grant’ to organisations that implement events creating opportunities for people to meet,” the government said in a March 24 release.
As part of the programme, an organisation can receive a maximum of 100,000 yen (Rs 58,795) as a subsidy, which will be disbursed as a settlement payment after the submission and review of the project performance report.
This came as Japan’s birth rate plummeted to a record low of 705,809 births in 2025, setting a new record low for the tenth consecutive time, according to the data released by the Health Ministry in February. The figure, which includes children born to foreign residents, represents a 2.1 percent decline compared to 2024 and is the lowest total since records began in 1899.
The continued drop in births has underscored Japan’s rapidly ageing population and growing concerns about the rising cost of living, particularly as inflation places additional financial pressure on families. Although the overall number declined again this year, the rate of decrease slowed slightly compared to the previous year.
