Japanese Views on Love and Marriage Are Quietly Changing
Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported on February 13: According to a "Love and Marriage Survey" conducted by the Meiji Life Insurance Institute, 76.3% of unmarried respondents answered that they have no romantic partner, indicating an increase in the proportion of people without partners compared to the previous survey. Interest in love and dating is also declining, as well as the number of people who want to get married.
Women feel that "there is no necessity to get married," while men say "marriage would leave less money in my hands."
The survey was conducted online from December 12 to 21, 2025, targeting 8,872 people aged 18 to 54 across the country (3,909 married and 4,963 unmarried). The previous survey was conducted in 2023.
Regarding the respondents' views on marriage, 36.8% of unmarried individuals said they want to get married, a decrease of 10.5% compared to the previous survey. When asked why they want to get married, the most common answers from both men and women were "I want to live with someone I love" and "I want someone who can support me."
The most common reason for not wanting to get married is that women feel "it's unnecessary," while men believe "there will be less money." This highlights the differences between genders. There are also differences in how men and women view the division of household chores after marriage.
On the other hand, 47.2% of respondents said they would consider getting married if they found a suitable partner, slightly higher than the 43.9% from the previous survey. The tendency to view marriage as an extension of love is increasing.
As for dating partners, "introductions by acquaintances," "meeting through work," and "meeting at a drinking party" still rank as the top ways to find a romantic partner.
In the age group of 25 to 34, 30% of people found their partners through dating apps.
The ideal frequency of communication between couples is "about once a day," and the ideal date time is "about once a week," indicating that they prefer to maintain a moderate sense of distance.
Regarding the cost of dates, women tend to favor "splitting the bill," while men are more willing to "cover more of the cost."
The application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) is continuously advancing in the field of relationships. Many young people consult AI to solve their love and work problems. It is said that one-third of people aged 18 to 28 use it.
The Meiji Life Insurance Institute analyzed: "The phenomenon of distancing from love is spreading further, but this is because the rising social status of women has brought about greater independence. This is also reflected in the changes in the practice of splitting the bill and clearly defining household duties after marriage."
Women are becoming stronger, and the gender gap between traditional concepts seems to be narrowing.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856998163013643/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.