# Japan demographic decline and marriage support initiatives > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japan-demographic-decline-and-marriage-support-initiatives > Updated: 2026-10-25T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Efforts to address Japan’s declining birthrate have seen increased activity from both the private sector and local governments. In late September 2026, the marriage agency ZWEI launched a promotional campaign offering free professional photography to help new members improve first impressions, noting that 92.2% of their users prioritize profile photos. ZWEI also participated in a roundtable in Sendai City to discuss regional demographic challenges, where officials noted that Miyagi Prefecture’s fertility rate reached a record low of 1.00 in 2025. By October 2026, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government significantly expanded its marriage support budget to approximately 700 million yen for the fiscal year. These initiatives include themed matchmaking events at locations such as Ueno Zoo and the deployment of ‘TOKYO Enmusubi,’ an AI-driven matching application with approximately 17,000 registered users. While these programs require participants to submit single certificates to ensure commitment, officials noted that over 50% of residents remain unaware of the initiatives and face difficulties in tracking long-term outcomes. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-25: Tokyo increases marriage support budget to 700 million yen Tokyo is investing 700 million yen into marriage support programs, including AI matching apps and themed events, to combat the declining birthrate and support residents in finding partners. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tokyo-increases-marriage-support-budget-to-700-million-yen ### 2026-09-30: ZWEI supports matchmaking and addresses Japan's declining birthrate Marriage agency ZWEI is offering free professional profile photography to new members and participating in discussions in Sendai to address Japan's declining birthrate through improved matchmaking support. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zwei-supports-matchmaking-and-addresses-japans-declining-birthrate --- Cite as: Japan demographic decline and marriage support initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japan-demographic-decline-and-marriage-support-initiatives