I’m in My 70s and Feel Bitter After Breaking Up with My Boyfriend

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:28 JST, May 25, 2025

Dear Troubleshooter:

I’m a woman in my 70s. For two years, I dated a man in his 60s that I met through a dating site.

We communicated through the Line app, but whenever our conversations became awkward, he would abruptly stop talking to me. Even though I wasn’t at fault, I would always send him a message first.

He stopped contacting me again and unlike before, I decided to wait for him to reach out. Three weeks passed, and I ended up texting him.

He replied that he had started dating another woman he met through a dating site. He said that he couldn’t continue our relationship because he has a girlfriend who is very special to him now.

It had only been three weeks, and I just can’t believe he already started dating someone else. I wish he had at least told me before ending our relationship.

I truly loved him. But thinking that he might have seen me as just another fling makes me feel so hurt and angry. I can’t stop thinking about it.

— A, Fukuoka Prefecture

Dear Ms. A:

Reading your letter, I am overwhelmed by your youthful feelings.

You have fallen in love with a man you met through a dating site after turning 70, and still suffering from jealousy even after breaking up.

The man, in his 60s, seems to be flitting from one woman to another like a butterfly.

Young people say things like “love is such a hassle,” but I wish the two of you could tell them “Take a cue from us” and give them a jolt.

I went on 43 blind dates in the past, and matchmakers all said the same thing: “A person who has been married even once can remarry again no matter their age.”

The same applies to love, doesn’t it? Women are said to have a tendency to “overwrite” their past relationships quickly when it comes to love.

Since you’ve found someone who can ignite your passion after turning 70, I’m sure you’ll have new opportunities in the future.

I’m cheering for you to meet someone even more wonderful than your previous partner.

— Eiko Yamaguchi, writer