Matchmaking efforts by local Japanese govts prove a hit with Gen Z

The nature of konkatsu matchmaking programmes organised by local Japanese governments is changing to better suit the preferences of young adults belonging to Generation Z, those who were born from the latter half of the 1990s to around 2010.

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Such programmes used to be held mainly in party-style settings, but now private companies hired by local governments hold large-scale gatherings that they run with the use of smartphone apps. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered matching systems are also widely used to appeal to Gen Zs, who have been exposed to digital technology from a young age.

The reason for the changes is that local governments are becoming increasingly concerned about the continuously declining birth rate.

On May 24, Tokyo-based matchmaking service company Omicale Inc, having been hired by the Tottori prefectural government, held a matching event at the Tottori Sand Dunes. More than 100 men and women in their 20s and 30s used an app to exchange “likes” with each other to display their interest.

If two people “liked” each other, they would be able to communicate by voice call. Paired up participants talked about their whereabouts on the vast dunes before meeting up and enjoying activities such as yoga together.

The programme, which allows participants to meet 50 people of the opposite sex at once for a fee of just1,000 yen (S$8.70), thanks to national government subsidies, is believed to have appealed to Gen Z, who prioritise time and cost performance.