You're listening to BBC World Service, I'm Marie Coy.

It's Happy hour in Otter City, Guma, 50 miles from Central Tokyo.

Tonight, more than 550, slightly drunk men and women are wandering around the town with a special purpose.

Guess what? They're all single and they're looking for love.

They may be consuming a lot of sake,

but the figures here are pretty sobering.

In recent years, a percentage of unmarried young people hit the highest ever.

It's a problem across Japan.

With the country's birth rate plummeting

and the population in decline, today's

matchmaking event sponsored by the city's Chamber of Commerce is one of the

extreme measures by the local leadership to reverse the trend.

I'm 37 years old.

It's my first time.

No, that's a lie.

It's my second or third time. I've exchanged numbers with six women so far.

I'm looking for a partner. I would eventually like to get married. My type would be a kind woman.

It's the amazing people I get to meet here. That's the main benefit of this event.

The second point is the food.

I'm enjoying the variety of meals from different restaurants I've never visited before.

I'm looking for a potential husband. my future darling, I've not yet been successful.

The Japanese have a special name for this activity, KON-Katsu, that spouse hunting in English.

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