TOKYO—The recent earthquake in Japan has had the unexpected effect of sparking a heightened interest in marriage.
According to Japan’s largest matchmaking agency, O-net, more and more working women in cities have started consulting dating agencies since the March 11 disaster, and many women have also left the agency due to getting married.
“The percentage of members getting married and canceling their membership has increased significantly,” said O-net’s public relation specialist, Hongwen Guan.
“Four hundred and twenty-three members quit this March, which is an increase of 19 percent compared to the 354 members who quit last March; 333 members canceled in April, which is also an 18.1 percent increase from last April’s 282.”
The disaster seems to have prompted many young men and women to reconsider their single status, with many looking for relationships out of fear of being alone during future catastrophes.
A single 29-year-old female wrote on an online forum that she was envious of her married co-workers who were busy calling their spouses and children during the earthquake. She said compared to those who lost their lives or family members in the earthquake, her worries may seem trivial. However, she said from that day on, she has felt a heightened sense of loneliness.
In Japan, March and April mark the beginning of a new fiscal year and are therefore the two busiest months for the working population. Thus, there are not many people getting married during these two months. But this spring saw a 20 percent increase in marriage rates, according to Guan.
There has also been a dramatic increase in the amount of information that women post about themselves, especially that of younger women. According to O-net’s statistics, there was a 12 percent increase in personal data submitted in April, compared to last year’s data.
According to Guan, similar increases have occurred in the past: after the Kobe earthquake and the 9/11 attack in America. The months between May and August are popular for marriage, so an even larger marriage spike is expected.
Guan explains that the lack of transportation and mobile services during the earthquake may have prompted couples to later communicate more with each other and show each other more affection—which in turn leads to mutual understanding and marriage.
Along with the growing number of marriages, engagement rings have been in strong demand in Japan as well. The Shinjuku Takashimaya department store in Tokyo reported a fourfold increase in engagement ring sales from April 1 to April 19, compared to last April.
