Matchmaking is still a thriving business in Japan. I was surprised to read that 16.5% of marriages in Japan in 2020 were the result of some type of matchmaking or konkatsu service, such as marriage agencies, online matchmaking, and matchmaking parties. This is a 3.5% increase over the previous year and a record high for the third year in a row. The annual survey which was conducted from May to June 2021 about marriages in 2020, by Recruit Bridal Research Institute included 50,000 men and women age 20 - 49.
I thought of matchmaking services as something old fashioned, but I guess I was wrong. It might be that it was harder to meet potential spouses in the last two years because of the pandemic, but the chart shows that the use of matchmaking services has been increasing for years.
Is this unique to Japan, or is this happening all over the world?
6 comments:
Interesting, maybe people feel that is a better way to meet someone.
I think it is a sign of how difficult it is these days to meet 'for real'. Many people have Facebook friends or Blogging friends they never meet in person. When we DO meet someone, for example at the bus stop, we tend to keep to ourselves. I think people in the past were less suspicious of each other and easily started a conversation with strangers. Also, you see so many people glued to their smartphone screens or with earphones, they are kind of isolating themselves from the world around them and are not easy to communicate with.
I think the popularity for computer dating is quite high in Sweden.
The good thing about arranged marriage is that everyone knows that they want to meet a life partner and get married. You don't need to try to approach someone whom you later realise is already 'taken'.
Pamela: I think this is amazing especially for 2021, I think meeting someone this way is unique.
Catherine
I have an Indian friend who has been "matched" via family, I think. But these days I believe it's less of a demand for marriage and more of a suggestion, if the couple agrees it's a fit. So it's more just about getting a recommendation of someone who someone else (or some company) thinks is compatible.
That's very interesting. I don't hear of it here at all, apart from computer dating.
I think when we hear 'matchmaking' we are thinking arranged marriages or a wise old lady like in Disney's Mulan. But maybe 'online matchmaking' can also just include all kinds of dating sites, where you enter your interests and get possible matches based on that, picked by an algorithm. If so, it's a trend I see happening all around me, and I don't think it's bad either. It just helps to meet new people, and picking them from a wider circle than just your school/work/friend group.
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