Don’t swipe, write: Japanese city encourages daters to send love letters

Matchmaking initiative in Miyazaki has brought together 17 couples, as Japan battles falling birthrate

Japan's faltering campaign to raise its birthrate has gone analogue, with authorities in a southwestern city encouraging potential suitors to put pen to paper and wait patiently for a reply rather than simply swiping right.

The city of Miyazaki says hundreds of men and women have dabbled in old-fashioned letter writing since the matchmaking scheme was launched two years ago. While there have been no wedding bells, the programme has spawned 32 face-to-face meetings and brought together 17 couples.