New survey reveals trends of how Japanese couples meet

How I met my partner: The survey, conducted by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance in October, found that 31.2% of the respondents first encountered their future spouses as coworkers, 23.6% were introduced by a friend and 12.5% married their former classmates, reported Nippon. The poll, which drew responses from 1,620 married individuals aged 20 to 79, was released on Nov. 16, just days ahead of Japan’s Good Couples Day on Nov. 22.

Whirlwind romance: The findings also revealed that 25% of the couples who got married in the same year met their partners through dating apps, while another 25% said they met their spouse at work.

Of those who reported preferring meeting potential partners through dating apps, 46.7% said it was because it was easier to meet people, while 46.7% attributed it to a lack of opportunities at work. Another 41.7% noted that dating apps allow them to choose a partner they like.

Spouse hunting activities: Different age groups exhibited distinct preferences in looking for partners, with dating apps dominating among respondents in their 20s (at 51%), matchmaking parties and events among those in their 30s (50.9%), and group dates or gōkon among those in their 40s (48.9%). Meanwhile, those who met their partners through spouse-hunting activities or dating events known as konkatsu made up 15.4% of the overall respondents.