[IBJ Matchmaking] Signed Partnership Agreement with Akita Prefecture in the Field of Marriage Support
IBJ, Inc., which creates the highest number of marriages in Japan, signed a partnership agreement with Akita Prefecture on April 24, 2026. The collaboration aims to increase marriage rates and contribute to population growth and regional revitalization.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 01:03
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 16:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 00:42 (8h 11m after Collected)
## Press Release Details
Partnership Agreement Ceremony: (Left) Governor Kenta Suzuki, (Right) IBJ Chairman Ishizaka
IBJ, Inc. (President: Kenjiro Tsuchiya; HQ: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; TSE Prime: 6071), the company creating the most marriages in Japan*¹, signed a cooperation agreement with Akita Prefecture on April 24, 2026, to realize effective marriage support and fulfill people's hopes for marriage. The aim is to reverse the trend of declining marriage numbers, contributing to birth rates and mitigating population decline.
### Background
With the decline in marriages and births in Japan being prioritized as an urgent national policy, IBJ views marriage as 'infrastructure that supports the future of regions.' Based on the philosophy that 'matchmaking support leads to regional revitalization,' IBJ is developing public-private partnership projects with local governments.
In Akita Prefecture, where population decline is severe, the decrease in marriage numbers is considered a critical issue and is listed as an important policy indicator in the comprehensive plan*² that started this April. Targets have been set for each measure. Since 'considering measures to increase effectiveness' is vital for reaching the target marriage numbers, the decision was made to form a partnership to utilize IBJ's professional expertise, achievements, and cultivated know-how.
*² 'Akita Prefecture Comprehensive Plan ~The First Step Toward Akita's Resurgence~.' A comprehensive plan formulated by Akita Prefecture in March 2026, with a four-year implementation period from FY2026 to FY2029, serving as the highest-level guideline for prefecture administration.
Source: Materials created by Akita Prefecture
### Overview of the Partnership
This agreement focuses on the following two pillars:
(1) Fostering a momentum for those who wish to marry to start matchmaking
- Disseminating information to build momentum for marriage
- Life design support to realize hopes for marriage, childbirth, and parenting
(2) Improving the matchmaking capabilities of marriage support providers in the prefecture
- Strengthening consultation support systems to link concerns about matchmaking and dating to solutions
- Operational support for meeting events that lead to results
IBJ will strengthen community-based marriage support in Akita Prefecture by utilizing its know-how based on the track record of creating 20,000 married couples annually and its vast amount of marriage data.
### Contributing to Social Issues through 'Public-Private Partnership'
IBJ signed partnership agreements with Okayama Prefecture in August 2025 and Yamanashi Prefecture in December 2025, making this the third case. By actively promoting everything from building marriage momentum to providing support, IBJ aims to expand regional demand starting from marriage and revitalize regions, contributing to sustainable community development.
### Contact Information (Regional Revitalization Department)
E-Mail: okano-ao@ibjapan.jp
TEL: 070-3280-5207
### About the IBJ Group
IBJ provides total support beyond simple matching and creates the highest number of marriages (engagements)*¹ in Japan. By combining warm personal support that only humans can provide with IT, IBJ operates a service based on its unique marriage consultation network. Rather than seeing marriage as the goal, the business scope is expanding to life design support aimed at the 'happy life' beyond it.
Under the philosophy of 'making everyone we have a connection with happy,' which has remained unchanged since its founding, IBJ aims to contribute to a sustainable society by creating a cycle of happiness that begins with marriage in response to Japan's serious issue of population decline.
Headquarters: 12F/17F Shinjuku First West, 1-23-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Representative: President Kenjiro Tsuchiya
Established: February 2006 (Founded: 2000)
Official Website: https://www.ibjapan.jp/
*¹ Surveyed by the Japan Marketing Research Organization (Number of marriages: 2024 cumulative total, February 2025 period survey in the specified field) *Number of marriages: Number of people who got married within the IBJ federation.
Partnership Agreement Ceremony: (Left) Governor Kenta Suzuki, (Right) IBJ Chairman Ishizaka
IBJ, Inc. (President: Kenjiro Tsuchiya; HQ: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; TSE Prime: 6071), the company creating the most marriages in Japan*¹, signed a cooperation agreement with Akita Prefecture on April 24, 2026, to realize effective marriage support and fulfill people's hopes for marriage. The aim is to reverse the trend of declining marriage numbers, contributing to birth rates and mitigating population decline.
### Background
With the decline in marriages and births in Japan being prioritized as an urgent national policy, IBJ views marriage as 'infrastructure that supports the future of regions.' Based on the philosophy that 'matchmaking support leads to regional revitalization,' IBJ is developing public-private partnership projects with local governments.
In Akita Prefecture, where population decline is severe, the decrease in marriage numbers is considered a critical issue and is listed as an important policy indicator in the comprehensive plan*² that started this April. Targets have been set for each measure. Since 'considering measures to increase effectiveness' is vital for reaching the target marriage numbers, the decision was made to form a partnership to utilize IBJ's professional expertise, achievements, and cultivated know-how.
*² 'Akita Prefecture Comprehensive Plan ~The First Step Toward Akita's Resurgence~.' A comprehensive plan formulated by Akita Prefecture in March 2026, with a four-year implementation period from FY2026 to FY2029, serving as the highest-level guideline for prefecture administration.
Source: Materials created by Akita Prefecture
### Overview of the Partnership
This agreement focuses on the following two pillars:
(1) Fostering a momentum for those who wish to marry to start matchmaking
- Disseminating information to build momentum for marriage
- Life design support to realize hopes for marriage, childbirth, and parenting
(2) Improving the matchmaking capabilities of marriage support providers in the prefecture
- Strengthening consultation support systems to link concerns about matchmaking and dating to solutions
- Operational support for meeting events that lead to results
IBJ will strengthen community-based marriage support in Akita Prefecture by utilizing its know-how based on the track record of creating 20,000 married couples annually and its vast amount of marriage data.
### Contributing to Social Issues through 'Public-Private Partnership'
IBJ signed partnership agreements with Okayama Prefecture in August 2025 and Yamanashi Prefecture in December 2025, making this the third case. By actively promoting everything from building marriage momentum to providing support, IBJ aims to expand regional demand starting from marriage and revitalize regions, contributing to sustainable community development.
### Contact Information (Regional Revitalization Department)
E-Mail: okano-ao@ibjapan.jp
TEL: 070-3280-5207
### About the IBJ Group
IBJ provides total support beyond simple matching and creates the highest number of marriages (engagements)*¹ in Japan. By combining warm personal support that only humans can provide with IT, IBJ operates a service based on its unique marriage consultation network. Rather than seeing marriage as the goal, the business scope is expanding to life design support aimed at the 'happy life' beyond it.
Under the philosophy of 'making everyone we have a connection with happy,' which has remained unchanged since its founding, IBJ aims to contribute to a sustainable society by creating a cycle of happiness that begins with marriage in response to Japan's serious issue of population decline.
Headquarters: 12F/17F Shinjuku First West, 1-23-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Representative: President Kenjiro Tsuchiya
Established: February 2006 (Founded: 2000)
Official Website: https://www.ibjapan.jp/
*¹ Surveyed by the Japan Marketing Research Organization (Number of marriages: 2024 cumulative total, February 2025 period survey in the specified field) *Number of marriages: Number of people who got married within the IBJ federation.