For More Japanese, Love is a Multiethnic Thing

Japan has traditionally been a closed, ethnically uniform society, where foreigners are rare and conformity rules. In a sign of increasing openness, however, the number of international marriages has jumped in the past decade. Despite long-held prejudices and a language barrier, many Japanese are marrying Chinese spouses. Social factors in Japan have contributed to the increase; the Japanese population is expected to decrease significantly in the next few years, and singles are looking elsewhere to find mates. The phenomenon could very well influence the future of Chinese-Japanese relations. – YaleGlobal