Tokyo City Hall is developing a dating app to encourage marriage and childbirth

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Called “Tokyo Futari Story,” the city hall’s new site is just that: An effort to create couples, “futari,” in a country where it is increasingly common to be “hitori,” or alone. A mobile app is under development, with hopes to offer it later this year, a city official said Thursday. Marriage is on the decline in Japan, where the birth rate has nose-dived for years.  Details are still undecided. City hall declined comment on Japanese media reports that said confirmation of identity and tax records will be required. Japan has been trying to solve a serious labor shortage by providing more financial incentives for young families as well as relaxing immigration policy to attract foreign workers.