ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
4 / B2
Published
Title
Japan’s Young Adults Seek Help With Dating
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-10-01-japan-young-adults-seek-help-with-dating/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice

Language: Words That Go Together, New Sentences

Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions

Answers

Think Ahead: Where do you think people most often meet a partner today?

a) Through friends, school, or work.

b) At clubs, events, or hobby groups.

c) On dating apps or websites.

A tidy office desk holds several printed profile sheets with portrait photos, beside a calendar, pen, and closed binder.
Profiles for potential matches.

Vocab List

matchmaking service (n. phrase) — a business that helps people find someone to marry or have a serious relationship with
committed to (adj.) — willing to give time and effort to something and not give up
swiping (n.) — the action of moving through possible dates on an app by moving your finger across a screen
rigid timeline (n. phrase) — a strict schedule that allows little change
ghosting (n.) — suddenly ending contact with someone without explaining why
proposal (n.) — an act of asking someone to marry you
intention (n.) — a plan or purpose for doing something
revive (v.) — to make something that was less common or inactive become active or popular again
grooming (n.) — the care someone gives to their appearance, such as hair, clothes, and cleanliness
Reading

Frustration with dating apps is leading more young adults in Japan to try professional matchmaking services. Instead of relying on endless swiping and messaging, they are paying counselors to introduce them to people who are also serious about marriage.

The trend revives part of the country’s older omiai tradition, in which relatives, friends, or bosses helped arrange introductions. That custom became less common as people began dating independently and later turned to apps. Now, however, some app users say ghosting, fake profiles, and unclear intentions have made digital dating exhausting.

Taizen Yasuda, 28, joined IBJ, a large Tokyo-based matchmaking network, after losing patience with apps. He said he wanted the quickest way to meet someone with the same goal: marriage. Within a little over a month, he had narrowed his choices to two women.

IBJ assigns each member a consultant who advises clients on grooming, messages, dates, and even proposals. When two members meet, their consultants exchange feedback and help guide the relationship. A romance researcher said this human support can give people psychological safety while filtering out those who are not committed to marriage.

The service is not cheap. Members usually pay monthly fees, an enrollment fee, and a further fee if they become engaged. Critics say company-run matchmaking can put anxious clients under rigid timelines and turn romance into a business. Supporters argue that it offers a more efficient and personal alternative to app-based dating.

Japan’s Young Adults Seek Help With Dating

Level 4 Article Source: nytimes.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A tidy office desk holds several printed profile sheets with portrait photos, beside a calendar, pen, and closed binder.
Profiles for potential matches.

Frustration with dating apps is leading more young adults in Japan to try professional matchmaking services. Instead of relying on endless swiping and messaging, they are paying counselors to introduce them to people who are also serious about marriage.

The trend revives part of the country’s older omiai tradition, in which relatives, friends, or bosses helped arrange introductions. That custom became less common as people began dating independently and later turned to apps. Now, however, some app users say ghosting, fake profiles, and unclear intentions have made digital dating exhausting.

Taizen Yasuda, 28, joined IBJ, a large Tokyo-based matchmaking network, after losing patience with apps. He said he wanted the quickest way to meet someone with the same goal: marriage. Within a little over a month, he had narrowed his choices to two women.

IBJ assigns each member a consultant who advises clients on grooming, messages, dates, and even proposals. When two members meet, their consultants exchange feedback and help guide the relationship. A romance researcher said this human support can give people psychological safety while filtering out those who are not committed to marriage.

The service is not cheap. Members usually pay monthly fees, an enrollment fee, and a further fee if they become engaged. Critics say company-run matchmaking can put anxious clients under rigid timelines and turn romance into a business. Supporters argue that it offers a more efficient and personal alternative to app-based dating.

Speaker: American Male  Duration: 1:50  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

(1) with dating apps is leading more young adults in Japan to try professional matchmaking services. Instead of relying on endless swiping and messaging, they are paying counselors to introduce them to people who are also serious about marriage.

The trend revives part of the country’s older omiai tradition, in which relatives, friends, or bosses helped (2) introductions. That custom became less common as people began dating independently and later turned to apps. Now, however, some app users say ghosting, fake profiles, and unclear intentions have made digital dating exhausting.

Taizen Yasuda, 28, joined IBJ, a large Tokyo-based matchmaking network, after losing (3) with apps. He said he wanted the quickest way to meet someone with the same goal: marriage. Within a little over a month, he had narrowed his choices to two women.

IBJ assigns each member a consultant who advises clients on grooming, messages, dates, and even proposals. When two members meet, their consultants exchange (4) and help guide the relationship. A romance researcher said this human support can give people psychological safety while filtering out those who are not committed to marriage.

The service is not (5) . Members usually pay monthly fees, an enrollment fee, and a further fee if they become engaged. Critics say company-run matchmaking can put anxious clients under rigid timelines and turn romance into a business. Supporters argue that it offers a more (6) and personal alternative to app-based dating.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Would you feel comfortable using a matchmaking service? Why or why not?

    A:

  2. Q: What advice would you give a friend who had become frustrated with dating apps?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Would you feel comfortable using a matchmaking service? Why or why not?

    A: I’d consider a matchmaking service it was clear about its fees and did not pressure me.

    as long as / even though / so that

    I’d consider a matchmaking service as long as it was clear about its fees and did not pressure me.

  2. Q: What advice would you give a friend who had become frustrated with dating apps?

    A: I’d tell them to take a short break and decide what they want from dating they start using the apps again.

    before / unless / although

    I’d tell them to take a short break and decide what they want from dating before they start using the apps again.

Discussion Questions
  1. Why do you think swiping and messaging is exhausting for some people?
  2. Do you think it is easier to meet people online or in person today? What are the advantages of each?
  3. What are some respectful ways to tell someone that you are not interested, instead of ghosting them?
  4. How important is it to know a person’s intention early in a relationship? Does this depend on whether you want friendship, dating, or marriage?
  5. Would you feel comfortable using a matchmaking service? Why or why not?
  6. The article says consultants advise clients on grooming. How much does appearance matter when people are meeting someone for the first time?
  7. In your culture, do people introduce single people to each other? What makes an introduction successful?
  8. A proposal is often shown as a big, surprising moment in films and social media. Are proposals like that in real life?
  9. What advice would you give a friend who had become frustrated with dating apps?

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think swiping and messaging is exhausting for some people?
  2. Do you think it is easier to meet people online or in person today? What are the advantages of each?
  3. What are some respectful ways to tell someone that you are not interested, instead of ghosting them?
  4. How important is it to know a person’s intention early in a relationship? Does this depend on whether you want friendship, dating, or marriage?
  5. Would you feel comfortable using a matchmaking service? Why or why not?
  6. The article says consultants advise clients on grooming. How much does appearance matter when people are meeting someone for the first time?
  7. In your culture, do people introduce single people to each other? What makes an introduction successful?
  8. A proposal is often shown as a big, surprising moment in films and social media. Are proposals like that in real life?
  9. What advice would you give a friend who had become frustrated with dating apps?

Answers Japan’s Young Adults Seek Help With Dating / Level 4

Listening: (1) Frustration, (2) arrange, (3) patience, (4) feedback, (5) cheap, (6) efficient

Main Idea: Young adults in Japan are turning to paid matchmakers for more serious support than dating apps offer.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says that relatives, friends, or bosses helped arrange introductions in the omiai tradition.
  2. False. It became less common as people began dating independently and later turned to dating apps.
  3. True. The service charges monthly fees, an enrollment fee, and a further fee if members become engaged.

Multiple Choice: a, b, a, a

Vocabulary:

  1. arrange: introductions
  2. fake: profiles
  3. lose: patience
  1. narrow down: your choices
  2. exchange: feedback
  3. psychological: safety

New Sentences: 1. matchmaking service; 2. swiping; 3. ghosted; 4. intention; 5. grooming; 6. committed to

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Setting conditions for a decision. 2) Showing the order of advice steps.

  1. as long as
  2. before

eslnewsstories.com