Dating agency prays for inspiration
Updated on 07 December 2007
A US dating agency is seeking inspiration from Japanese traditions for love.
Match.com CEO Thomas Enraght-Moony has been on a mission to find what makes romance-seekers tick in the Asian country - including paying a visit to Shiba Dai-Jingu shrine in central Tokyo.
"The shrine, it's about love and that is the business that we're in - about helping people find partners, whether it's for romance or for marriage," he said.
It is common for Japanese singles and their relatives to visit shrines to pray for luck in meeting prospective dates or spouses.
But increasing numbers are also looking online, with Match.com notching up 840,000 members since it launhced in Japan in 2004.
Those looking for love are given the option to fax or e-mail copies of their paychecks and diplomas to prove the authenticity of their background - a service only provided for members in Japan, and inspired by traditional and more rigorous Japanese 'omiai' or matchmakers.
It's estimated two-thirds of Japanese had arranged marriages in 1935.
Now nearly 90 percent of Japanese find their own potential husbands and wives.
© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
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