Young Japanese urbanites are staying single for longer and looking for a way to live alone while retaining a sense of belonging and community. OYO Life aims to give cash-strapped Gen Yers and Zers the opportunity to rent affordable, fully-managed apartments, houses, or houseshares in Tokyo.

As solitary lifestyles take over Japanese adulthood, those who choose to live alone are often the object of fear and pity in the press. Rather than accepting this stigmatised portrayal, Japan’s solitary population is pushing for a more nuanced understanding of their lived experiences.

The pandemic has made people the world over re-evaluate their priorities. In Japan, singletons are increasingly seeking the stability of marriage. With an inability to meet people IRL due to COVID-19, matchmaking company Sunmarie is offering creative solutions to forge relationships online.

In Japan, single life abounds, and not always by choice – half of the unpartnered people in the nation say they can’t find anyone to marry. With many lamenting an inability to get along with the opposite sex, or to come across partners at all, Japan’s dating scene is in need of innovation.