ABSTRACT

The plummeting of the fertility rate far below replacement level in Japan has been caused by a decline in the marriage rate, a topic of great concern among politicians, journalists, and the general public. Based on participant observation at marriage-hunting events, this chapter evaluates the official handling of the topic and the response measures put in place in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics. In so doing, the essay critically discusses the concept of Unity in Diversity, which is a cornerstone of the Tokyo Olympics Games’ vision and makes social change (as well as its limits) subject to discussion.