New Model for Municipal Matchmaking: Kochi Prefecture x IBJ x Nippon Travel Agency – "Metaverse Matchmaking" Records Up to 67% Matching Rate

IBJ Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Shigeru Ishizaka, Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, TSE Prime: 6071, hereinafter "IBJ"), which boasts the highest number* of successful marriages in Japan, planned and operated the matchmaking party service "IBJ Matching" jointly with Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Keigo Yoshida, Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) for Kochi Prefecture's "Reiwa 7th Year Metaverse Matchmaking Project and Other Implementation Outsourcing Services." This project adopted a two-stage matchmaking style combining "Metaverse Interaction" using avatars and "Real Events" utilizing local resources. We announce that through all three sessions from August 2025 to February 2026, a maximum matching rate of 67% was recorded.

Background of Implementation

In recent years, the proportion of unmarried individuals at age 50 in Japan has reached 28.3% for men and 17.8%*¹, and as the increase in unmarried individuals becomes a serious social issue, municipalities are strongly required to create opportunities for young generations to meet. Especially in rural areas, while contact with peers is limited due to the outflow of young people to urban areas, traditional matchmaking events have faced participation barriers due to geographical constraints and psychological hurdles of meeting for the first time.

Therefore, this project established an "experiential, phased approach" that integrates pre-interaction in a metaverse space with real events to experience local attractions. By starting with communication focused on inner qualities through avatars, the barrier to participation is lowered, and it is designed to connect to local interactions once emotional distances have shortened online. This aims not only to support marriage but also to promote migration and settlement by fostering attachment to the region.

*¹Source: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research "Demographic Statistics 2023" (calculated from Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau "National Census 2020")

Two-Stage Design: "Avatar Interaction" and "Face-to-Face" to Lower Psychological Hurdles

Scene from the 2nd Halloween Metaverse Interaction event.

Avatar Interaction

Participants first gather in a metaverse space using avatars, conducting self-introductions and one-on-one talks online. Because communication can be easily started in an environment where showing one's face is not required, a characteristic is that participants can get to know the other person's personality and atmosphere while easing the tension of meeting for the first time.