Dating Apps: Identity Verification Should Be Strengthened to Prevent Abuse

Editorial

16:15 JST, March 11, 2026

One in four people now find a spouse through dating apps. App operators must strengthen measures to prevent problems and ensure that users’ sincere intentions are not trampled on.

Dating apps connect people seeking romance or marriage. Users input information such as their age, occupation, income and desired partner traits via smartphone. The app then selects and displays potential matches from among registered users.

According to a national survey, 25% of those under age 40 who married between 2019 and 2024 met their partner through an app. That is higher than the 21% who met through workplaces or similar places and 10% for school, making it the most common way to meet.

Respondents said they used the apps because of “the ease of finding partners who match desired criteria” and “the ability to meet many people,” among other reasons.

However, this convenience is also a constant source of trouble. A man was arrested for concealing that he was a host at a host club and luring three women he met through an app to the club. One of the women spent over ¥6 million at the establishment.

Last year saw 5,600 cases of “romance scams,” where scammers use social media to cultivate romantic feelings and then defraud victims of their cash. Thirty-three percent of these victims met their scammers through dating apps.

Many married individuals are believed to have registered for dating apps by claiming to be single. There has been a case in which a woman sued a man who lied to her and won the suit.

In response to these issues, the Digital Agency has signed an agreement with an industry group consisting of 14 companies including major app operators. They agreed to more stringently verify the identity of users during registration.

When registering for the apps, users will be required to scan their My Number identification card to verify basic information such as age, income and marital status. App users should feel at ease while using these services.

App operators have a crucial role to play in preventing problems. For example, when suspicious messages requesting money are detected, operators must warn the person receiving the message and promptly terminate the account of the unscrupulous user.

Dating apps come in many forms. Some services are run by municipalities, such as the Tokyo metropolitan government’s Tokyo Enmusubi, which is aimed at people looking to get married. There are also some private services that are unsuitable for marriage seekers due to unreliable information on profiles.

Users must carefully evaluate which apps they will register with. It is also important to watch for any odd behavior or statements from potential matches. It would be unfortunate if users got caught up in unexpected trouble and wound up thinking, “I’m done with looking for a spouse.”

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 11, 2026)