How matching apps became normaland what “serious” actually means

Meeting online is no longer a marginal story in Japan. But “everyone uses apps” is no more accurate than the older stereotype that every couple meets at work.

The clearest picture comes from reading several sources together—and keeping their definitions and samples separate.

What the official numbers actually say

A 2024 Children and Families Agency web survey asked 20,000 people aged 15 to 39 about marriage and relationships. Among respondents who had married in the previous five years, 25.1% said they met their spouse through a matching app. App-use experience was reported by 56.8% of married respondents and 26.8% of unmarried respondents.

Those are substantial figures, but they are results from a particular online survey—not a census and not proof that one quarter of every Japanese marriage began on an app.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research gives a second reference point. Among first-marriage couples who married between July 2018 and June 2021, 13.6% met through internet services. That category includes social media and websites as well as dating apps, so it cannot be compared directly with the agency’s app-only figure.

Government involvement changed the signal

Tokyo’s own matching service, TOKYO Enmusubi, opened in September 2024. Registration is designed for adults seriously considering marriage who live, work or study in Tokyo. It requires identity, income and single-status documents plus an online interview. Foreign nationals can apply under the stated eligibility rules, with equivalent single-status documentation and a Japanese translation.

This does not make every commercial app a marriage service. It does show that digital matching has moved far enough into the mainstream for a local government to operate a heavily verified version.

The Digital Agency also lists commercial matching services that use the My Number Card’s public personal authentication system. Verification can reduce impersonation and confirm specified attributes; it does not prove that a person is kind, compatible or honest about every intention.

What majime does—and does not—mean

Majime can mean earnest, sincere or serious. On a dating profile, majime na deai usually signals that the user does not want a purely casual encounter. It may point toward a committed relationship or marriage.

It is not a standardized contract. One person may mean “no hookups”; another may mean “marriage soon.” The respectful response is not to decode the label from afar, but to ask: “What kind of relationship are you hoping for?”

A profile label is a clue. Mutual expectations still need words.

For a visitor or foreign resident

Say how long you will be in Japan and what you are looking for. Do not imply long-term availability if you are leaving next week. Let the other person set a comfortable pace for names, photos and moving to another messaging service.

Choose a public place for a first meeting, keep your own route home and accept a no without negotiation. Consent is specific and ongoing; a match, a drink or an earlier kiss is not permission for anything else.

The National Police Agency also warns about romance scams that begin on social media or matching apps, move quickly to another messaging service and introduce investment, business or money requests. Never send money to someone you have not independently verified. A request framed as “our future” is still a financial request.

The useful conclusion

Matching apps are normal enough to be a major route to partnership, but normal does not mean uniform. Japan has casual users, marriage-minded users, cautious users and scammers—just like everywhere else. Read the profile, state your own situation truthfully and ask instead of assuming.