Japanese youth are ditching dating to marry friends

Romance prospects in Japan have become so bleak that many young people have given up dating and are just marrying their friends. A survey conducted by the government shows that 69 per cent of Japanese men and 59 per cent of Japanese women lack a romantic partner.

Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world with just 8.4 births per 1,000 habitants over the past five years. Studies say that the country’s present population of 127 million might decrease to 87 million by 2060.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in Japan has revealed that 80 per cent of unmarried Japanese desire to get married. These conditions have led to a trend called "Kousai zero Nichikon" which roughly translates to "marrying without dating", reports the Independent.