Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien nav lang search
日本語EnglishDeutsch
Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien
Event Series
Events
February 12, 2025

On-site Study Group “Marriage hunting” in Japan

“Marriage hunting” (konkatsu) is a multi-billion-yen industry comprising diverse dating services, from matchmaking apps to marriage agencies. With marriage remaining an important precursor to childbearing, the Japanese government has increasingly invested in “marriage support” to address population decline and aging. This talk draws on data from twenty-seven months of research in Japan, including more than 150 interviews with market professionals and their male and female clients, participant observation of marriage-hunting events, and documentary evidence, to explore the various collaborations between the private and public sector in marriage promotion efforts. The speaker suggests that these alliances constitute a new form of intimate governance which regulates how individuals enter and conceptualize romantic and familial relationships. Details and registration here

Speaker: Anna Woźny, Princeton University / Tokyo College