A woman in Japan just won a lawsuit against a former lover. The reason? He failed to divulge a teensy tiny detail: his marriage. The case marks a rising trend in the country, as more people (let’s be honest: men) use dating apps, not to find the love of their life, but to cheat on their spouses.
A spike in complaints – and lawsuits
In the past, people in Japan would rely on in-person matchmaking services to find, if not the love of their live, then at least a life partner who didn’t suck. Today, that role is increasingly played by online dating apps. A survey by the Japanese government’s Children and Families Agency found that 25.1% of couples found one another via an app.
That’s led the Japanese government and local jurisdictions to invest serious money in dating apps. The hope is that, by making it easier and safe for people to meet, the country can put the brakes on its rapid population decline.
With increased use, however, comes increased abuse. In 2019, the Tokyo Consumer Affairs Center said it received 80 complaints about dating apps. By 2024, that number had risen to 809 incidents a year.
The majority of consultations are about marriage scams. However, the Center also receives calls from people who’ve discovered or suspect that their “single” partner is already married.
The phenomenon has led to multiple lawsuits – and courts are ordering the deceivers to pay up. In 2021, a woman received 2 million yen ($14K) after discovering that the father of her unborn baby had a wife.
Another 40-year-old woman sued a man she met in 2021 who told her he was a single pilot. Neither of those things was true. The woman sued him for three million yen ($21K) for causing her lost time and “the opportunity to have a child.” Last month, a court ordered the man to pay her 880K yen ($6,160) for the deception.
Some apps now require identity verification
Japanese municipalities can issue a Proof of Single Status document. Many in-person matchmaking services require submitting this document as a condition of use.
Currently, almost no online dating app services require submitting such a document. That’s made them a breeding ground for fraud and deception. In response, some apps are adding verification as either an optional or mandatory feature.
Since its inception, the official dating app from Metropolitan Tokyo, Tokyo Futari Story, has required an extensive background check. Users must not only verify their identity, but also submit a copy of their family registry, which proves that they’re single.
Most commercial apps have yet to follow suit. Tapple recently became the first private company to support confirming one’s bachelor or bachelorette status. Users can use their My Number national identification card, which contains information about their marital status, to verify that they’re truly single. Once verified, the user gets a special badge on their profile.
Most Japanese users overwhelmingly support adding marriage status verification to dating apps. One survey of 98 men and 254 women found that 50% approve of marriage status verification being mandatory. Another 32.1% said displaying one’s verified status should be an option.
I’m sure fraudsters and cheaters will still find ways to game a verification system. (Identity theft is always on the table, for example.) However, anything that makes their lives harder and reduces abuse is a step in the right direction.
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Sources
婚活アプリで「独身」とウソ 慰謝料200万円命じる判決も. Asahi Shimbun
マイナカード“独身証明”でマッチングアプリのトラブル防止へ. NHK News
「独身」偽り婚活アプリ 300万円の慰謝料請求、男性が払った代償. Asahi Shimbun
「独身偽装」防ぐ公的証明書 マッチングアプリで必須化は難しい？Mainichi Shimbun
