"Last Chance": AI Dating App in Tokyo Helps 265 Couples Marry

A new AI-powered matchmaking app in Tokyo, "TOKYO Enmusubi," has begun operations with the goal of combating the passivity of individuals seeking marriage. Launched in September 2024, the app aims to connect those genuinely ready for commitment. Applicants undergo a screening process, including proving their single status and participating in an online interview. This rigorous selection process has resulted in 16,000 members being chosen from approximately 36,000 applicants by June 30, 2024.

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I tried the app as a last chance.

The app has already seen significant success, facilitating 265 marriages and 760 serious relationships as of the same date. One user, identified only as "Turtle," shared her experience, describing the app as a "last chance" as she approached her 40th birthday. She met her current husband through the app in late August, began a serious relationship by mid-September, and accepted his marriage proposal by the end of December.

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After several blind dates at the end of August, I met my current husband, and by mid-September, we started a serious relationship.

This initiative comes against a backdrop of declining birth rates in Japan, which hit a record low of 671,236 births in 2023, marking the tenth consecutive annual decrease. With deaths more than double births and a fertility rate of 1.14, the slight increase in marriages facilitated by the app offers a small counterpoint to the nation's demographic challenges.

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By the end of December, I accepted his proposal to marry.