Controversy Over '5.5 Million Won Support Fund' for Women Traveling to Provinces to Marry... "Gender Discrimination" Sparks Flood of Criticism from Japan

A report has emerged that Japan is considering a system that provides financial support to unmarried women living in Tokyo who move to rural areas for marriage. The Japanese public has reportedly reacted coldly to this government idea, saying, "What do they think of women?"

Tokyo Shibuya Scramble Crossing view

On the 29th, Yonhap News quoted the Asahi Shimbun, reporting that the Japanese government is reviewing the introduction of a system focused on unmarried women relocating to rural areas through marriage. This system includes subsidies for transportation costs when unmarried women living in Tokyo participate in group matchmaking events held in rural areas, and additional financial support if they relocate their residence, providing up to 600,000 yen (approximately 5.5 million KRW).

Since 2019, the Japanese government has operated a system to curb the population concentration in Tokyo by providing up to 600,000 yen to those living in the 23 wards of Tokyo who move to rural areas for employment or entrepreneurship. The existing system applied to both men and women, but the new system focuses specifically on unmarried women moving to rural areas for marriage.

According to the Cabinet Office, as of 2020, there were about 11 million unmarried men aged 15 to 49 living outside Tokyo Metropolis, compared to about 9.1 million unmarried women, indicating a significant gender imbalance. A Japanese government official explained that the new system is intended to "support the influx of women into rural areas."

Regarding this government proposal, the Asahi Shimbun reported that the Japanese public has expressed critical responses such as "Do they not understand why young women are leaving rural areas?" and "What do they think of women?"

In fact, Japanese netizens reportedly left comments on related articles on the Japanese internet, saying things like "This is gender discrimination," "The 600,000 yen support is not an incentive for marriage-based relocation to rural areas," and "Raising the minimum wage in rural areas should come first."

Meanwhile, population concentration in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Tokyo, is intensifying in Japan. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "2023 Population Movement Report," last year, the number of people moving into the metropolitan area, including Tokyo Metropolis, exceeded those moving out by 126,515. In contrast, among Japan's three major metropolitan areas, the Osaka and Nagoya areas outside the Tokyo metropolitan area recorded a net outflow, with more people moving out than moving in.