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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K807: Japan Launches Government-Run Dating App to Boost Falling Birth Rate

Highlights 主題摘要：

Japan is facing a severe demographic crisis with record low fertility rates, prompting the government to take decisive action to prevent further population decline.
Tokyo is launching a government-run dating app to promote marriage and boost birth rates, requiring users to undergo a rigorous registration process.
Japan's Prime Minister has declared the falling birth rate as the country's gravest crisis, necessitating a multi-faceted approach to secure Japan's future.

Japan is facing a severe demographic crisis as its fertility rate reached a record low of 1.20 in 2022. The nation recorded only 727,277 births last year, while deaths surpassed 1.57 million. To combat this alarming trend, the Japanese government is implementing various initiatives, such as expanding child care facilities, offering housing subsidies to parents, and incentivizing couples to have children in some towns. The government recognizes the urgency of the situation and is determined to take decisive action to prevent further population decline, as experts warn of far-reaching consequences for the country's workforce, economy, welfare system, and social fabric.

日本正面臨嚴重的人口危機，2022 年的生育率創下 1.20 的歷史新低。去年全國僅記錄了 727,277 個新生兒，而死亡人數卻超過了 157 萬。為了對抗這個令人擔憂的趨勢，日本政府正在實施各種行動，例如擴大托兒設施、為父母提供住房補貼，並在某些城鎮鼓勵夫婦生育。政府意識到情況的緊迫性，並決心採取果斷行動以防止人口進一步下降，因為專家警告說，這將對國家的勞動力、經濟、福利系統和社會結構產生深遠的影響。

Tokyo's local officials are launching a government-run dating app, currently in its early testing phases and expected to be fully operational later this year. The app, designed to promote marriage and boost the birth rate, requires users to go through a rigorous registration process, submitting documentation to prove they are legally single and willing to get married, as well as providing personal information. The app's thorough vetting process aims to ensure the authenticity of its users and create a safe and reliable environment for those seeking a serious relationship. The app even caught the attention of billionaire Elon Musk, who expressed his support for the Japanese government's recognition of the importance of this matter on social media.

東京的地方官員正在推出一個政府經營的交友軟體，目前處於早期測試階段，預計將於今年晚些時候全面運營。該應用程式旨在促進婚姻並提高生育率，要求用戶通過嚴格的註冊流程，提交文件證明他們合法單身並願意結婚，並提供個人信息。該應用程式徹底的審查過程旨在確保用戶的真實性，並為尋求認真關係的人創造一個安全可靠的環境。這款應用程式甚至引起了億萬富翁伊隆·馬斯克的關注，他在社交媒體上對日本政府認識到這個問題的重要性表示支持。

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has allocated a substantial budget for the app and other projects aimed at promoting marriages. Officials believe that the app's association with the government will instill trust and security among users, encouraging even the most hesitant individuals to take the first step in their search for a partner. The launch of the app comes at a time when Japan's top government spokesperson is emphasizing the critical nature of the declining birthrate and the need for unprecedented measures to reverse the trend.

東京都政府（Tokyo Metropolitan Government）已經為該應用程式和其他目的為促進婚姻的項目分配了大量預算。官員們相信，該應用程式與政府的聯繫將給用戶灌輸信任和安全感，鼓勵甚至是最猶豫不決的人在尋找伴侶的過程中邁出第一步。該應用程式的推出正值日本政府高級發言人強調出生率下降的嚴重性，以及採取空前措施扭轉這一趨勢的必要性。

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has declared the drop in birth rates as the "gravest crisis our country faces" and has introduced measures to support child-bearing households. With Japan's population projected to decline significantly by 2070, and a large proportion of the population expected to be aged 65 or older, the government understands the urgency of addressing this issue. The success of Tokyo's government-run dating app remains uncertain, but it is a courageous attempt to confront Japan's demographic challenges head-on. As the nation works to reverse the falling birth rate, a multi-faceted approach, involving both technological solutions and policy changes, will be necessary to secure Japan's future.

首相岸田文雄已宣布生育率下降是"我國面臨的最嚴重危機"，並出台了支持生育家庭的措施。由於預計到 2070 年日本人口將大幅下降，而很大一部分人口預計將在 65 歲或以上，政府理解解決這一問題的緊迫性。東京政府經營的交友軟體成功與否尚不確定，但這是正面迎接日本人口挑戰的勇敢嘗試。隨著日本致力於扭轉不斷下降的生育率，需要採取涉及技術解決方案和政策變革的多方面方法，以確保日本的未來。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字：

Determined (De-ter-mined): The government recognizes the urgency of the situation and is determined to take decisive action to prevent further population decline, as experts warn of far-reaching consequences for the country's workforce, economy, welfare system, and social fabric.
Operational (Op-er-a-tion-al): Tokyo's local officials are launching a government-run dating app, currently in its early testing phases and expected to be fully operational later this year.
Authenticity (Au-then-tic-i-ty): The app's thorough vetting process aims to ensure the authenticity of its users and create a safe and reliable environment for those seeking a serious relationship.
Metropolitan (Met-ro-pol-i-tan): The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has allocated a substantial budget for the app and other projects aimed at promoting marriages.
Courageous (Cou-ra-geous): The success of Tokyo's government-run dating app remains uncertain, but it is a courageous attempt to confront Japan's demographic challenges head-on.

Reference article:
1. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/07/asia/japan-birth-rate-population-dating-app-intl-hnk/index.html
2. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/tokyo-launch-first-government-run-091413507.html

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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K807: 日本推出政府經營的交友應用程式以提高下降的生育率 Japan Launches Government-Run Dating App to Boost Falling Birth Rate

通勤學英語 15Mins Today

國際時事跟讀 Ep.K807: 日本推出政府經營的交友應用程式以提高下降的生育率 Japan Launches Government-Run Dating App to Boost Falling Birth Rate