Yoshio, a 44-year-old man from Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, faced a long and difficult journey in his quest for love, going through nearly 2,000 unsuccessful blind dates. With a master’s degree in science, Yoshio’s dating struggles were compounded by his modest income of 3.5 million yen ($23,000) a year and his living situation with his parents. These factors made it challenging for him to meet the criteria set by various matchmaking agencies, which typically required men to earn around 5.5 million yen annually. Despite this, Yoshio’s pursuit of love never wavered.
He began seeking a partner eight years ago, joining several matchmaking agencies. However, his experiences were filled with rejection. Some women ghosted him after just one meeting, while others judged him solely based on his profile or his lifestyle. One particularly painful date took place when he took a woman to see the cherry blossoms. Upon seeing his compact car, she dismissed him with a sneer, and the date quickly soured. In another instance, Yoshio shared a photo of himself with his mother in the background, leading one woman to block him and another to cancel their date.
Despite these setbacks, Yoshio viewed each rejection as a learning opportunity. He developed better skills in conversation, planning dates, and decision-making as he continued to meet women. His persistence eventually paid off when he met his future wife through a dating app. He credits his sincerity and diligence for winning her over, while he admired her independence and strong sense of responsibility. After over a year of dating, they married and later had a child together.
Inspired by his own experiences, Yoshio founded the Yoshio Marriage Laboratory, a dating agency offering free consultations for individuals struggling with love and marriage. His journey has sparked a conversation on social media, with some applauding his persistence, while others suggest that focusing on finances before dating might be a better approach. In Japan, financial constraints are a significant factor contributing to the country’s rising number of single individuals, especially as many remain unmarried past the age of 50.
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