"I Will Live Solo"... 5 Characteristics of MZ Who Don't Date?

MZ Generation Not Dating in Japan Either as a Social Issue
Dislike Risk, Lack Money, and Have Many Other Interests
5 Characteristics: Struggle with Relationships, Have Immersive Hobbies
Low Self-Esteem, High SNS Dependence, Find It Hard to Balance Work and Dating

Like in Korea, the number of young people in Japan who are not dating is increasing. The rise of the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) living apart from romantic relationships is recognized as a social issue in Japan as it leads to declines in marriage and childbirth.

On the 10th, Japanese lifestyle media outlet ‘Trill’ investigated the reasons behind the accelerating trend of not dating among the MZ generation and reported on the characteristics of MZ individuals who do not date. The three main reasons for not dating are ▲zero-risk orientation ▲financial comfort ▲various hobbies. First, young people in their 20s and 30s living in an era of employment ice age and economic recession tend to adopt a zero-risk orientation, meaning they do not want to take risks due to realism. Rather than taking a courageous step forward, they only think about the risks of failure such as ‘not wanting to be invited on a date and rejected’ or ‘not wanting to flirt.’ In the workplace, they may also fear harassment or sexual harassment.

From August 9 to 10, in the episode "I am Jeollo, Naksansa," a total of 6 couples were matched out of 10 male and 10 female participants.
[Photo by Jogye Order Social Welfare Foundation]

Another reason for avoiding dating is that many people in their late teens to 20s, the age group most active in dating, lack financial comfort. They feel that spending money on hobbies or hanging out with friends is already insufficient compared to spending money on dating. With the diversification of hobbies such as watching YouTube and online video services (OTT), sports, and gaming, there is also the reason that there is no need to make time for dating.

The media also introduced five characteristics of MZ individuals who do not date. The first is difficulty in building human relationships. The media pointed out, "If someone gets hurt once in relationships at work or school, they develop resistance to deep romantic relationships," adding, "Even if they become interested in someone, they fall into negative thinking like ‘it won’t work out anyway.’”

The second is having hobbies they are fully immersed in. Whether on weekdays or weekends, people who are deeply engaged in hobbies such as golf, hiking, cycling, traveling, and fishing ? spending considerable time and money ? tend to stay away from dating.

The third is lack of confidence. Modern young people tend to have extremely low confidence and negative thoughts due to their zero-risk orientation. The media said, "This type is characterized by having an interest in dating but missing every opportunity and rarely progressing."

The fourth is dependence on social networking services (SNS). They consider posting photos and videos on SNS to increase followers or likes more important than meeting the opposite sex. Although there are dating applications (apps), the high expectations often lead to greater disappointment, making it difficult to form romantic relationships through apps.

The last reason is work. When caught up in daily work, there is no time left to think about anything else. Especially, dating requires energy to communicate, make plans, and meet.

The media advised, "MZ individuals who want freedom more than dating or want to cherish their own time should look for people who share common hobbies or similar values," adding, "If you can share how you spend your time and money or your hobbies, you might surprisingly not feel that spending time with a partner is a waste. If you can enjoy both work or hobbies and dating simultaneously without giving up either, each day will be happy."