Why the Tokyo Government is Releasing an Official Dating App! |

[@someguy9175]

Normally dating apps are designed to keep you in the loop, running towards the (sexy) carrot they hang in front of you, instead of actually making couples, as such they are incredible money generator and really poor dating tools. This however is government run and does not has to generate profit and they will obviously design it to prioritise natality rates. Whatever data comes out of it will be really interesting to take a peek at.

[@wanderingjadah]

69th like 😂

[@JustKyzuuh]

Just reading the title, I can actually see this being a good idea since all dating apps currently have a profit incentive which incentives not actually finding long term relationships.

[@JonathanLang-nu2lx]

exacly!

[@jamesc3953]

My thoughts exactly

[@randxalthor]

It's called "autorotation," Chris. Helicopters turn into maple seeds when the engine fails. Sincerely, a rotorcraft engineer.

[@symmetrie_bruch]

was about to write a small collumn about that. but maple seed is such an apt mataphor that this is no longer neccessary ^^

[@hanniffydinn6019]

Bullshit , helicopters just fall out of they sky. No one has survived a helicopter failure! 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@stephenhunt_author]

Please fill in field 456b, subsection d, on page 567 to proceed with finding your twu, twu love.

[@dan.94.]

Nothing screams romantic like bureaucracy.

[@reichi2464]

best comment award needs to go here lmfao I fucking died

[@ShellyS2060]

The fact that you understand love, twu love (which is what bwings us here... to-day) is impressive

[@damien86]

Sounds good to me, if they promise twu twu love!

[@pingpong5877]

​@@thevictoryoverhimself7298I don't know about you, but I don't go to church to find love. I go to church to find Jesus.

[@tom_hoots]

Gosh, you know, Chris actually mentioned in his book how he likes to get up to the top of buildings, get into observation towers, and so on. So, "simple video suggestion" for Chris -- "Take us up to a few of those, eh?" I would sure like to see what he could do with the sights from those vantage points.

[@auberginebear]

Maybe he could have Norm from Tokyo Lens as a guest to help him with some of that.

[@Its_Dave_Just_Dave]

In a survey conducted in 2021, 65.8% of men and 51.8% of women in their twenties said that they had “no spouse or partner.” Among respondents in their thirties, 35.5% of men and 27.0% of women were in a similar situation. In addition, when single men were asked how many people they had dated since graduation from junior high school, 39.8% of those in their twenties and 34.1% of those in their thirties answered “zero.” In contrast, among the single women with no dating experience, 25.1% were in their twenties and 21.5% were in their thirties, indicating that romantically men were more likely to be late bloomers.

[@silis_pap8473]

Shinzo Abe's will carries on

[@guyfromdubai]

He's no longer asking 🔫

[@charlesmurphy5644]

17:13 Helicopters have auto rotation in case of a loss of power. Like a plane that can glide without thrust the rotors of a helicopter start spinning from air resistance and act like a pseudo parachute that slows the decent enough to make a hard yet mostly survivable landing. The chances of losing power in any aircraft are very low with proper maintenance.

[@mfaizsyahmi]

This. The high profile crashes are those where the choppers were already flying too close to the ground and buildings that auto-rotation couldn't take effect. For many many routine sightseeing flights they're well above the danger zone (in addition to ATC not permitting close flybys.) I guess irrational fears just can't be easily persuaded.

[@AmyGiglio7683]

From what I have learned, Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on values that encourage giving your all and self-improvement. For example, "ganbatte", which is often translated as "good luck" in anime, actually means something along the lines of, "always do your best". There is also the concept of "kaizen", which means to continuously improve to the next level. I learned about this from a book called Kintsugi Wellness, written by Candice Kumai.

[@thevictoryoverhimself7298]

Considering dating apps purpose is to suck money from lonely young men, this disincentivizes them from actually quickly finding a partner and sticking with them. They want you on that app scrolling and viewing ads, paying for premium services. I'm not someone who wants government involved in peoples lives to a great degree, but if dating must be done online (real talk: church is the best place to find a good girlfriend), having the government do it makes a certain degree of sense.

[@creaper3538]

yea I agree. Dating apps just want to make money and make you stay on the app. The government doesn't have these goals and just wants people to meet, which is the whole purpose of dating apps. That with the extra verification means that, catfishing shouldn't be an issue (in theory). I don't think this will solve the birth rate issue as a whole though, but it's one step.

[@martijnkoning3354]

Church is not great if you're not Christian

[@ayoCC]

​@@creaper3538 a government needs to act in ways to slash problems in chunks. If they can cut down the birthrate problem by 20%, that's a 20% success. I think if the government can provide these services while hiring like 5 devs at 70k a year (40k take home?) and some 15 supporting staff at 30k (20k take home) for like managing a ticket system and saving the devs time from doing menial tasks that is a waste of dev time. And we sort of stay below 1 million a year in costs somehow. If it can get like 1000 pairs to find each other and get children, it pays for itself in tax revenue, since an average person contributes 10k in taxes a year.

[@antisal4192]

Another episode to listen to while half asleep in bed. Lovely

[@avantiuniti]

Amazing Japan! Keep on like this! :D

[@zachsouth314]

"More serious sites like plenty of fish" oh boi he really doesn't know 😂

[@ffwast]

He clearly hasn't used it for years lol

[@TheCCBoi]

Chris should open a UK style pub in Japan. That would be cool.

[@thevictoryoverhimself7298]

They're already everywhere. Its worse than america. There's no shortage of expats who have the same idea, and there is even a japanese chain of british pubs. The UK was a big part of the westernization of japan in the 1800s and 1900s, even being military allies against russia for a time, so british culture has deep roots in japan.

[@MrSociofobs]

The master of one vs jack of all trades is an interesting discussion. Each useful in their own way, but only one will make you a "master" at something.

[@spoonfullofpawel]

Hey guys! There's a service in California in the US where you sign up and you can meet people when you move to an area. The organizers plan curated events that you can attend. It also uses AI to find people with whom you'd be "most compatible". It's like a dating app but for friendship. Does Japan have anything along those lines and if so, is it targeted for Japanese audiences or non-natives? If so, Chris may still be able to get a fun story out of an app! Cheers #FaxMachine

[@disky01]

"I have no patience for queuing" Wow Chris, you really have been away from home too long

[@fattiger6957]

Thanks for answering my question, guys!

[@shandytown7019]

I agree with Chris! I went up Shibuya Scramble when it first opened, and the only good vantage points were two places that you had to queue for! Mori tower has a train museum and floor to ceiling windows. Great location. So nice. Also my favorite. As for the Donki Ferris wheel in Osaka, I've been on it before, way back in the early 2000s. My husband was terrified of it, but went with me. Apparently he was right, because they shut it down for several years, after discovering that it had a design fault that could cause the cars to... fall off! 😮 They redesigned and reopened it several years ago now. I wanted to take my current husband on it, and we were all set to go... but it was closed due to a typhoon coming in (which we raced back from Osaka to Tokyo before too). I think it generally suffers from high winds and they have to close it for safety reasons at the slightest gust!

[@TheToneBender]

Helicopters actually do just gently fall down if the engine stops working because the wind going past the rotors as you fall will make them spin again (but not restart the engine). Saw a show a few years ago where the pilot just shut off the engine in mid-air

[@michaelt5459]

I put ginger ON my sushi as well! I seriously don’t understand how people eat it by itself between pieces as a palate cleanser, the flavor mixes WITH the sushi so well.

[@dotsmassacre]

Remarkably, there is actually an art to that… and it’s interesting because I was recently discussing the effect of USAid and it’s primary focus on rice as a staple causing things like diabetes and other health issues around the globe about maybe five or six weeks ago… and yeah, cooking rice, is not all just air fryers and you’re good to go… so, unironically, learning how to manipulate rice at the cooking level is a real thing…

[@robkoper841]

2:02 Reminds me of the Keanu beach rant in 'Johnny Mnemonic': "I'm supposed to be over there! I want the club sandwich! I want the Mexican beer! I WANT ROOO000OOM SERVICE!!!"

[@silverchairsg]

I'm Singaporean and I'm actually very surprised that my own government hasn't done this yet (though there is an actual government-linked agency to promote dating amongst singles). Social engineering is a very Singaporean thing to do.

[@MrMBinder]

Can confirm that Mori Tower is a great observation deck. There's also a modern art museum on the upper floors if you're into that sort of thing.

[@Pokotannnnn]

I love Pete’s little studio🕺🏻

[@disky01]

Given the demographic crisis that is quickly approaching, I don't actually think it's a misuse of public funds. I'd bet that many Japanese citizens already see the effects of the shift away from marriage and close relationships.

[@jamesohara4295]

My Crocodil has no tongue. How does it taste?. Horrible! 😆😅🤣😂

[@MissiBoo]

I flew in a helicopter 🚁 over Niagara Falls (Canadian side). It was amazing and so quiet. The pilot was brilliant. I paid £100 for an eight minute ride but it was worth every penny 🫶

[@Kjersten_w]

That's interesting, i always thought they were super loud

[@djkonae]

I can’t wait to receive my government issued girlfriend (I live in the USA)

[@TheClintonio]

I don't miss the UK but London a little and obviously my friends and family. Dating in Tokyo sucks in my experience, I do find everywhere else in Japan but not Tokyo. I suspect the tourists have put women on guard to foreigners. I'm going to leave Tokyo because I met a woman in a smaller city (Fukuoka lol) who is gorgeous. Yes people do おみくじ, one girlfriend I had was afraid of them so wouldn't do them because of the risk of bad luck but my other friends do

[@TheToneBender]

I'd love it if my government made a dating app.

[@tdolan500]

I did the Don Q Ferris wheel in December and it was the most on edge I’ve ever been lol. I won’t say it does feel safe but boy do feel vulnerable 77 metres up in a Perspex tub clinging to the side of a building.

[@Danyal_aka_Amagibestfox]

If a helicopter’s engine fails, it will naturally enter autorotation, where the rotor blades spin due to air resistance and act something like a parachute. Of course, if the helicopter suffers instrument failure, hits something, etc, then you’re pretty shafted.

[@dotsmassacre]

Is cognac ‘big’ in your observation, in Japan? Or is that like a class flex?

[@Su_Jo_Lo]

I met my husband on a dating app. We are 13 years married in April. 😊

[@roberts7873]

Is he 6 foot?

[@dotsmassacre]

You know, when your sushi falls apart there it is because the rice hasn’t sufficiently glutenised to give it hold and also not make it clag-y…

[@kocokan]

I remember other countries having also governmenr backed dating app

[@DovidM]

I would think there would be liability issues for a government-hosted dating app.

[@Deraphim]

I honestly wonder if Japanese dedication to their hobbies (if its not in actuality an illusion or stereotype), might in some ways come from the fact that their military is strictly used for self-defense, or that their population is largely racially homogenous. As if minding the world's affairs and prejudice/racism are actually just distractions, and without them, the people turn their attentions towards following their personal interests, self-development, and standing out from a crowd instead. When you can't hate your neighbor b/c of how they look, and your country has nothing to gain on the world stage militarily, how else can you spend your life? It's like they've lost the ability to follow the two most toxic sports in the whole world, and have to fill the void with something else. I love America's diversity, but I do wonder what would happen to the people here if suddenly racism wasn't an issue, or we didn't have to worry about what every other country was doing in the world. I want to make it clear I am aware that Japan still has problems with racism and tribalism btw (especially against foreigners?). Also, I have no credentials as an anthropologist or anything. This is just idle speculation from a layperson.

[@LA6NPA]

There is a sort of "death zone" in a helicopter, I think it's between 10 and 30 meters and only hovering, where you'll fall like a rock and get badly injured. However, above 30 meters, you can push the helicopter forward and go into a dive and get autorotation (how gyrocopters work!) and flair and land more or less safely. Helicopters are very safe, and possibly THE MOST COMFORTABLE way to fly except for the noise. I only rode on helicopters in the army, and we flew "tactical", and it was supposed to feel sort of like a rollercoaster, but honestly, it was just the softest ride I'd ever had. No shakes, no sudden changes in gravitational pull. Just comfortable. HIGHLY recommended! On another note, I think the two most dangerous ways to fly (statistically) are gliders and paragliders. Gliders, because you get too close to mountains trying to catch an updraft, and get the wrong wind instead and crash, paragliders because the canopy has a tendency to collapse with the wrong kind of gust.

[@MichaelSteger-dl2js]

Dating apps profit from people not finding love. The government will do a better job at it because their self interest is the people, family and kids.

[@Zookeepersgirl]

Thank you for answering my question about the meal at the ryokan! I've never eaten so much food before. Weirdly had room to eat all of the dessert though 😅

[@BinauralBae]

"They never say go hide in the celler" Pete must have never been to a church in the US

[@recon3113]

Do yourself a favor and get Yak, it’s becoming popular in western Canada. It’s soft, tender and taste’s almost like beef. 😎🤘🇨🇦🤘

[@xeroze01]

Helicopters DO glide though even with no powers to the engine, just like airplanes, but in a different manner using the auto rotation of the rotors. Essentially while going downwards the rotors will rotate in a way that generates lift (due to the air passing through them), and this slows down the descent enough for a hard but survivable landing.

[@matimus9533]

Tokyo metropolitan bldg has a free observation desk!

[@2way93]

Looks like I’m going to buy a vpn to download this app 😂

[@carycoombe3380]

Very educational. I wonder if that App is anything like the App in Iceland where it checks to make sure that you are not related to the person you want to date (because people there are heavily related).

[@HarambeHonda]

1:03 happiness comes from within Pete

[@ohnomayu]

1- the bad fortune you are supposed to leave it hang it with a knot in a special place there in the temple so it will not happen. The good one you should take it with you. Japanese they do it every beginning of the year when they go and ask for good things to happen that year. 2-i think they want to make a dating app so you declare your income... tricky! 3-i agree with you with the view from roppongi Mori tower, and you can enjoy the museum there too

[@davenann]

I have a question not related to this podcast about Pete’s Toyota he imported to the UK. Is the Toyota (former Japanese taxi) a Toyota Comfort? (Japanese Taxi, based on a Crown), Or is it an actual Crown? Dave in Fukuoka.

[@petedonaldson2698]

It's actually an even sillier one - it's a Century!

[@fillhixx]

Working at a grocery store always worked for me BITD. ALL women go to the grocery store once in a while, so you get to really shop around. Bonus, as a grocery store worker (preferably department manager at least ;-) ) you seem like quite a ‘provider.’ . When I saw my later wife buying eggplant I told her she should have me over for dinner as I didn’t know how to cook it myself. (Turns out, I Hate eggplant. Didn’t tell her for almost a year.)

[@StupidBros]

23minutes an episodes?

[@DylanKnighting]

“Have sex, see you, Space Cowboy” - Shinzo Abe, 8 July 2022

[@sleepysartorialist]

I've had ostrich; it's not for me 😂 Pete has interesting taste buds 🧍🏾

[@laurencefraser]

Helecopters are a lot less failure prone than you'd probably think, and can recover from a lot more failures than you'd think... but when something goes actually properly wrong? You're a lot less likely to survive the experience than you would in a plane.

[@arysetyawan4110]

So, what stopping people to open a Japanese inspired Bar at England ?

[@mazzdacon2134]

I can't imagine the little guy with the glasses and the mo being on a dating site.

[@WayWillow]

A dating app should address the economic constraints on having children 😂😂😂😂

[@IOPE_]

If you tye the paper on the rack and do not keep in wallet the fortune doesnt come out, the old and bad fortune is the one you hang, the good you keep for 1 year, Just keep buying till you get a good one 😅

[@lifeline_]

13:17 This is something I find issue with these days. Not because I care if women work or not, but because in no country where that is made the "solution" has it been shown to actually increase birthrates. Similar to bringing in migrants instead of solving the cultural/social/workplace/financial issues causing the issue. Even the framing of "choosing between a career and a family," because "career" almost makes it sound more glamorized when in reality, most people's jobs suck. Sure, if you are going to be a doctor, a graphic designer, a IT professional, etc. then you probably would desire that, but someone stuck as a cashier, a shelf stocker, etc.? I get the idea of "if we make work easier, people will be more likely to have kids" and theoretically it makes sense. But it seems like there are too many variables which stand in the way of that such as when both sides can work and live on their own, why take on the responsibility of a serious relationship as well as kids? There are also other issues like: - Differing expectations of division of labor. - Differing expectations of values. - Expectations of income - etc

[@blueberymufn11]

Petes hair getting progressively more messed up by his headphones in the few most recent podcasts lmao

[@petedonaldson2698]

As the record times get closer to 6am, NIGHTHAIR DONALDSON appears haha

[@gst9325]

every dating app has only one affect and this one will be no different - it helps you realize that you are worse than you ever thought and you have nothing to offer and that game is only for top 5% of users. government as always knows nothing and they will worsen the situation they are trying to better.

[@t4ketsuru]

i think how it works the helicopter rotor will spin under inertia as it falls. so you will be gliding down

[@notmuch_23]

Well, in defense of the app, how will the bridges, roads, substations, power lines, and pipes get fixed if there's nobody TO fix them, especially in the future?

[@texasburbs4380]

Plenty of Fish was the Tinder before Tinder. LOL.....

[@FoxCoffeeGaming]

Wonder if itd work for foreigners that are living over there. Might find some gaijin hunters on that app haha

[@pfx2259]

Tokyo needs family and kid’s friendly app, where some chef won’t embarrass you with screaming kid and where malls have playgrounds. That’s what you need if you want people to have kids: Not the get together, but the be together.

[@pfx2259]

I imagine there is one already, but less hyped than this

[@AbiyBattleSpell]

hand holding in japan :3

[@SuperKamiGuru90001]

Everytime someone mentions helicopters going down. I automatically think of Kobe Bryant 😥 RIP.

[@rostyloco1]

I'l jump in that app in a heart beat if it works....

[@GanstaHippo]

It’s a good idea to help people. Hopefully it indeed helps. Other tax money is already used well in Tokyo.

[@GanstaHippo]

Now will it be successful… and also not misused…..? 👀🤷‍♀️ And will your personal info end up in someone’s outdated government floppy disk 💾??? 🤷‍♀️

[@touma-san91]

@@GanstaHippo Tbh, I'd rather have my data on outdated floppy disk than easily crackable database which anyone can access at any time

[@970357ers]

A government developed and administrated dating app will be used to snoop. Keep using the cash though!

[@Zombie_Problem]

Pete could double for Ben Crompton if his KZbin career never takes off!!

[@dotsmassacre]

What makes “soft version” fun is in Japanese, simply, it is pronounced ‘sofutoBajon’…

[@Commonsenseisnotcommon8]

Here’s a life hack to find out if a guy is married on the app. You just tell him that you’re in married guys when you’re discussing your kinks, and then they fess up. Then you call him scum and shame him. And then you delete them. 😂

[@deadinside8781]

I’ve never heard this idea before, but I love it😂

[@martijnkoning3354]

Chris's of giving the women possibility to work does not improve birth rates, it does the opposite sadly. Every woman that chose for a career has just that to give up on again once they have a child. Make it easier for the husband to stay home allowong them to share rhe burden. Sadly the Japanese working culture doesnt allow for that

[@bairux]

This is epik

[@xsandpathx]

Its an investment, the tax dollars will return if the population increases

[@hanktheblesseddeejay]

Aldi ostrich is not selling itself

[@KindaNice]

16:47 idk man if they got kobe they can get anyone

[@JohnDoe-pt7ru]

lol so typical of government: treat a severe problem with a bullshit mickey mouse solution. Time for 90% of the men to be ignored on the app instead of just in person.

[@FirstYokai]

The whole career vs children thing is such a nonsense argument. Look at european countries and at their native birthrate. It's shrinking.

[@custos3249]

Nice. Anything to avoid addressing the abysmal work culture and inability for people to raise a family.

[@tarkusd7534]

fix underlying societal issues? *drake no* official dating app *drake yes*

[@jackbanta8709]

The paper doesn’t give you the fortune, it’s telling you how your year will be. You tie it on the rack and pray on it. If it’s a bad fortune you pray for it to become good and make it good. My wife and I do it every new years. If you through it on the floor than it’s just ignoring the problem. The first one is all that matters. Else you are just picking a piece of paper.

[@crimsionic4926]

mr.pete, you only gone out with workplace women? wow the risk, how do you make sure you dont put your job on the line. can you give advice on how you did it because of course no one wants to be reported to human resources.

[@Stephen-up3sd]

He was the company!

[@Stephen-up3sd]

Sorry - he owns the company - if he’s a bad boy he stands in front of the mirror and gives himself a very stern talking to!🤣

[@kurisu1204]

Faith based magician... what a nice sugar coat for a scam xD

[@raeperonneau4941]

The new do and mustache suit you, Pete.

[@Level_Up_Nation]

I'm all for the Japanese Dating App....can Americans apply? lol

[@Chris-ut6eq]

thumbnail, tight haircut no stash, video shaggy and soup catcher above the nose, what's up?

[@ffwast]

Soup catcher Flavor saver Womb broom

[@BinManSays87]

Hmm 🤔 Aldi has ostrich in?.....I've not had that for like 20 years I wonder if it's got any better

[@harleyjo4875]

Holy cow, this most recent trip across Japan really did a number on Chris…he’s grown an insanely hideous mousstache… Nah just teasin, you a cutie.

[@ReubenAStern]

I don't think far eastern people will think highly of you for putting restaurant food in your pocket. My That friends daughter dumped her boyfriend for doing that.

[@pyrogian]

pay for fortune bollocks,i love so much about japanese culture but that is obviously scam

[@Danny.._]

those people lied to you. helicopters are not safe.

[@supremelordoftheuniverse5449]

As someone that hates Japan with all my guts it’s always very nice to see the other side

[@CentauriSphere]

get a haircut

[@dotsmassacre]

Society of the Snow is soft version anti Christian.