Japan's Controversial Dating Guidelines: Municipality Criticized for Gendered Appearance Advice

The brochure suggested women wear pumps and skirts to appear delicate. (Representative)

A Japanese municipality was compelled to withdraw dating recommendations that urged women to wear footwear making them look "delicate" and apply "demure" makeup to find partners, following accusations of gender discrimination.

Iwate region in northern Japan faced significant backlash this week after an online marriage advice booklet attracted attention from a prominent feminist academic, igniting heated discussions across social media platforms.

The controversial guide featured illustrations of a slender woman with long hair and rosy cheeks, advising females to wear pumps and skirts that highlight their ankles.

"This helps project an aura of delicateness," stated the brochure, which also recommended "demure" makeup, "elegant" appearance, predominantly white clothing, and "beautiful, graceful" hairstyles.

Cultural anthropologist Tomomi Yamaguchi criticized the publication on X, stating it was "entrenching the division of roles based on gender." Her posts garnered over 6.5 million views.

Following complaints that certain descriptions were "upsetting," Iwate removed the booklet from its website on Tuesday.

While acknowledging these concerns, an Iwate official told AFP on Friday, "we believe information in it was necessary to support people looking for marriage."

"The dress codes were never described as mandatory—it was simply intended to inform novice or struggling singles about approaches that have helped others succeed" in finding partners, explained the official, who requested anonymity.

Many X users observed that the fashion advice in the 2019 booklet was considerably less demanding for men.

Male recommendations included basic suggestions like "Keep your shirts wrinkle-free and clean" and "don't go out with bedhead."

One X user commented: "This demonstrates the enormous pressure placed on single women in Japan."

Another noted: "These guidelines are significantly more detailed for women. It seems they're trying to shape all women into the same mold."

Japan, which has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco, is actively seeking ways to encourage population growth, with numerous cities organizing matchmaking events.

According to health ministry data released in June, Japan recorded fewer than 700,000 births last year—the lowest figure ever documented.

As part of its strategy to increase birth rates, Tokyo's municipal government has developed a dating application requiring users to provide documentation confirming their single status and sign statements indicating their willingness to marry.