Japanese Divorce at Almost HALF the Rate as They Marry

The Asahi Japan Almanac states that “one marriage ends in divorce every 1 minute and 57 seconds, while one couple gets married every 44 seconds.

The average Japanese couple spent about 2.59 million yen on their wedding ceremony. That’s about $22,500. Another good reason to elope, eh? But then the divorce rate will likely climb even more.

The last 4-5 years I spent in Japan I attended more than 900 weddings. No kidding.

Nope, I am not especially loved or rich. In fact had I been invited to that many weddings I would have gone broke – a gift of $3-500 for each wedding times 900 = broke.

I performed the weddings. There was a fad at the time that almost has become commonplace where Japanese wanted a foreigner to conduct their weddings. Enter me.

I conducted ALL of those weddings.

Before each wedding I had the opportunity to counsel the couples. Happy that they chose a Western style wedding I invariably asked them why…until one answer repeated itself too many times.

The number one reason why Japanese chose western style weddings – the white dress would cover up their protruding stomachs – pregnant.

One of the number one reasons if not the number one reason for decidine WHEN a Japanese couple will get married – the girl gets pregnant.

Welp, I guess it’s about time we get married, so the kid won’t be born out of wedlock….so, they come to me.

Bummer, eh?