JAPAN TIMES -- July 15 -- For the government, the declining birthrate and delayed marriages are big headaches. Jim Safka, CEO of Match
satetd, "Solutions we provide are a perfect fit with the social changes
we are trying to counteract in Japan," said Safka, who was in Japan for
four-day visit through Saturday. Match.com has 15 million members from 240 countries. In 2002, it entered Japan, where it claims 710,000 members. The total fertility rate hit a record low of 1.25 in 2005. In 2004, the average age at which men and women first marry hit record highs of 29.6 for men and 27.8 for women. The online matchmaking industry is still underdeveloped in Japan. People
are more cautious about meeting via the Internet. In the future,
members will be able to show their driver's license or other
identification to the matchmaking company, which then will place an
icon on the person's top page to certify that his or her information is
trustworthy, Safka said. He also plans to start a new personal
consultation service in early 2007 in which members looking for serious
relationships are assisted by personal consultants who can introduce
them to handpicked candidates selected from other members. "Privacy,
security and safety is our number one concern." Safka said he went to
the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and asked that
consideration be given to certifying online dating companies. FULL ARTICLE @ JAPAN NEWS

Mark
Brooks: The industry is leaving money on the table. Users wants more
service. They want dates. Match is making big changes. Match.com is building an even stronger brand (with Dr Phil) and picking up on the premium market that real world matchmakers service.