Battle for Securing Brides in Asia has Started!

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

The number of international marriages continues to rise in Japan. At present, one in 20 couples, including one out of 10 couples in Tokyo, is in an international marriage. Hiragana Times CIA interviewed Professor UJIIE Tamotsu, an expert in international marriages, to learn how this trend will influence Japan.

CIA: Professor, what kind of changes will occur due to the increase in international marriages?

Prof.: It is estimated that in about 10 to 20 years from now, the battle to secure foreign brides will expand across Asia, and the number of Japanese men who cannot get married will increase.

CIA: What will this mean?

Prof.: In 2005, the number of foreigners who married Japanese exceeded 40,000. This figure is made up of 20% foreign husbands and 80% foreign wives. The majority of these couples are Japanese husbands married to Chinese wives. In actual fact, the vast majority of international marriages are between Japanese men and Asian women.

CIA: Why is this?

Prof.: International marriages are closely connected with the state of the economy. Before 1975, Japanese women who married foreigners, especially Americans, were the majority. Due to Japan’s economic development, very few Japanese women are marrying Japanese farmers. Instead, increasing numbers of brides from Asian countries have been marrying Japanese farmers. By now, due to the unbalanced ratio of men to women, men living in cities are also increasingly marrying foreign women.

CIA: Why are Japanese men finding it difficult to get married?

Prof.: Up until the last decade, Japan had boasted to other Asian countries about her overwhelming economic power. For many poor Asian women, it was in a sense a dream to be able to live in such a rich country as Japan. But, recently China has also been developing very quickly economically. As you know, the Chinese government had a one child policy for years in order to control the population. In China, where custom dictates that a male child will take over the family, most parents prefer to have a boy for this reason. It is an open secret that many parents abort their unborn child if they know it is a girl. In 10 to 20 years when these children reach the age where they can marry, there will be approximately 30 million more men than women. The same thing is happening in India, where remarkable economic development is taking place. Forecasts for Japan predict that in the near future the country’s population along with her economic power will decline.

CIA: Therefore, a battle to secure foreign brides will start, won’t it?

Prof.: Actually, it has already started. In Korea, many men now marry Vietnamese women. As this is deeply connected to the fate of a country, it will without a doubt become an even more furious battle than those fought over natural resources and food. The government will advertise the wonders of Japan and the Japanese using Prime Minister Abe’s favorite catchphrase “a beautiful country, Japan.”

CIA: But what if Asian women won’t come to Japan for marriage?

Prof.: Don’t worry about that for the time being. One country close to Japan is a gigantic and untouched market that can supply other countries with brides. That’s right, it is the country of the “Dear Leader.” Since that country wants to earn foreign money, they are willing to send their women to Japan if only high enough marriage allowances are paid, by advertising Japan to their women as — “Japan-Paradise on Earth.”

Comment from CIA
If marriages between Japanese men and women in the country of the Dear Leader would increase, it will contribute to creating peace in the area. It’s a very good idea! However, if this happens, who will the men in the country of the Dear Leader marry?

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

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