The Tokyo Metropolitan Government held a meeting on June 10 with organizations in the marriage support industry to discuss issues the industry and society is facing.

Koike Yuriko, Governor of Tokyo: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government provides seamless support for people from meeting to marriage, and on to childbirth and child rearing.

Governor Koike and the organizations discussed initiatives to help those who want to take part in matchmaking or to get married and identified issues preventing them.

Attendees suggested initiatives like the need for awareness of safe online dating apps and using public-private partnerships to combat the high costs of matchmaking agencies.

The metropolitan government wants to increase the momentum for marriage in society as a whole, while keeping marriage as a personal choice.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced this month that Tokyo has the lowest total fertility rate in the country at 0.99, which is children birthed per lifetime.

Koike said that the figures were extremely severe and that measures must be taken.