Wedding bells toll in post-quake Japan
30 April,CNN
In her cramped downtown office where wedding dress displays fight for
space with file cabinets, Miyuki Uekusa has been busy answering the
phone for the past month.
"Before the quake, many of our members were just thinking about
marriage vaguely," said the professional matchmaker, whose agency Marry
Me has sent 30 couples to the altar since it launched two years ago.
"After experiencing the tremors and repeatedly seeing the tragic
images on TV, they felt the fear of being alone and wanted to find a
partner in life."
As existing members turn more serious about going on dates, Uekusa
says phone inquiries about joining her club have gone up 30% since the
9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck northeastern Japan
on March 11, killing more than 14,000 people.
On this Wednesday afternoon, a 49-year-old makeup artist who wants to
be known simply as Yoko - showed up at the Marry Me office to sign up as
a new member.
Despite the hefty price tag of a $1,200 sign-up fee and a $120
monthly charge, Yoko says the natural disasters and the subsequent
nuclear crisis have jolted her into adjusting priorities in life.
"I need to act now, before another massive disaster strikes," she
said.
Experts are not surprised by the seemingly sudden change of heart on
marriage, especially among women.
"In Japan, women take the initiative to get married - and the trend
for them had been to focus on their career and enjoy single life,"
explained Ritsuko Matsui, a prominent psychiatrist who counseled
survivors of Japan's last devastating quake around Kobe in 1995, which
left more than 6,000 people dead.
"Seeing heartwarming scenes of couples and families staying together
in the face of recent tragedies has made many single women realize the
importance of relationships."
This new appreciation has turned the wedding industry into an
unlikely bright spot in the gloomy Japanese economy, as other sectors
ranging from manufacturing to tourism struggle to recover.
Jewelers - big and small - have reported strong sales of engagement
and wedding rings, in sharp contrast to slumping demand for other luxury
items.
Koji Fujimoto owns Concept Jewelry Works, a Tokyo boutique that
specializes in custom jewelry.
He has seen a 20% jump in ring buyers since the disasters. "After the
quake, couples want to create something that
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