‘Friendship Marriage’ is a new relationship trend that is gaining popularity in Japan.
Under this new type of marital relationship, people are becoming platonic partners without falling in love or having sex, as per South China Morning Post.
A marriage agency called Colorus, which specialises in friendship marriage, shared data related to the new trend. Since March 2015, around 500 people in Japan have indulged in this type of marriage. They have formed households and some have even raised children, reports NextShark news agency.
In friendship marriages, partners are legally spouses but without romance or sexual intimacy. They are free to live together or separately. Couples can also decide to have children through artificial insemination. In this relationship, both individuals are also free to pursue romantic relationships with other people outside the marriage, as long as there is a mutual agreement.
Around one per cent of Japan’s population of 124 million are choosing this kind of relationship that is based on shared values and interests, the report added. They include asexual individuals, homosexuals, and heterosexuals who are disillusioned with traditional marriage.
People interested in this type of relationship are on average 32.5 years old with incomes exceeding the national average, reveals the data by Colorus. The trend is also becoming popular among asexual individuals and homosexuals trying to avoid traditional marriages.
