Thousands of people in Japan are embracing a new relationship model known as friendship marriage, where friendship takes preference over traditional romantic love and physical intimacy. This trend, which has gained momentum since 2015, is challenging conventional notions of marriage and relationships.
Friendship marriage means legally marrying someone while actively avoiding love and physical interaction. Instead, couples seek compatibility and long-term friendship, comparing the situation to selecting a roommate with similar interests. Colorus, a friendship marriage organization, reports that approximately 500 such marriages have occurred in Japan since 2015.
Before marrying, these couples have in-depth discussions about many aspects of their lives, including eating habits, finances, household chores, and even how to manage refrigerator space. Despite the lack of classic romantic characteristics, around 80% of couples in friendship marriages report happiness together, with many opting to have children through artificial conception.
Friendship marriage is more common among those who are older (32.5 years) and have higher earnings than the average person in the country. This trend appeals particularly to asexual individuals, homosexuals, and heterosexuals disillusioned with conventional marital norms. For some, friendship marriage offers an alternative to the pressures from society associated with traditional marriage patterns.
Moreover, friendship marriage provides certain advantages, including access to policy benefits and companionship, especially for those who feel disconnected or are opposed to traditional marriage. While such relationships may end in divorce, they respond to individuals seeking stable and mature companionship without the constraints of traditional romantic expectations.
Beyond Japan, similar relationship models are emerging worldwide, reflecting a shift in societal attitudes toward marriage and relationships. In Singapore, for instance, lifelong friends have chosen to become life partners without engaging in sexual relations, while in China, an increasing number of young people are opting to live together with close friends.
Marriage lawyer Zhao Li aptly describes friendship marriage as "more than friends, less than lovers," emphasizing the unique dynamics of these relationships. Despite differing from conventional marriage norms, friendship marriages fulfill the need for companionship and connection, working with individuals with diverse relationship preferences and orientations.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)