For the most part, fake IDs aren’t really a thing in Japan. There just isn’t that much demand for them in a country where bars and clubs don’t card customers, and about the strictest things get is convenience stores’ honor system of having you tap a touchscreen to “confirm” that you’re old enough to buy beer.
But while the lax barriers to forbidden fruits that may tempt minors to pretend to be older mean teens usually don’t any use for fake IDs, police in Aichi Prefecture have filed charges against a resident of the city of Toyota for having a falsified date of birth on his ID, one that claimed he was younger than he really is.
The 47-year-old office worker was born in 1974, but was found to be in possession a fake ID saying he was born in 1988. He also had a third, slightly less fraudulent ID listing his year of birth as 1986, still more than a decade after when he was actually born.
So why was he so determined to drop his age from his 40s to his 30s? In order to meet younger women.
In recent years, many Japanese communities have begun holding matchmaking parties called machikon events, often there are certain conditions participants have to meet. Being a local resident is the most common, but many machikon also specify and age range for who can take part. The owner of the fake IDs was unhappy being locked out of machikon events for people in their 30s, and during questioning told the police that “I wanted to trick people into thinking I was younger, so that I could participate in machikon events with young women.” In 2021, he says he attended more than 50 matchmaking parties, almost all of which were supposed to be for 30-somethings.
While dishonesty can never be the foundation of a strong romantic relationship, what got the man in trouble with the law is how he was faking his birthdate. His two fake IDs were actually officially issued driver’s licenses, which he’d obtained as replacements after claiming to have lost his. After receiving the “replacements,” he used his PC to print out a false date of birth and address (perhaps to meet machikon residency requirements) to cover up his real birthday and address with, so he’s now facing charges of creation and use of forged official documents, a more serious crime than just verbally lying about his age to matchmaking organizer would have been, with the official announcement of charges being filed made on Wednesday.
Online reactions have ranged from bewildered exasperation to sympathy to a newfound interest in meeting eligible ladies in their 30s.
“Was he that desperate to meet young women?”
“Huh…by ‘young women’ I thought he was going to be looking for women younger than 30.”
“Sounds like those for-30-something matchmaking parties are pretty great. Maybe I should go to one.”
“If he’s got the guts and gumption to make fake IDs, it seems like he should be able to meet women by more normal methods instead.”
“Some of those machikon are really strict with their upper age limits, so I can see where he’s coming from.”
As for how the man got caught, he was stopped for a random ID check in a parking lot in Toyota last October, where the officer noticed he had multiple IDs. Oddly enough, the police have also stated that they haven’t been able to determine whether the man is married or not, meaning there’s potentially one more reason why he shouldn’t have been at those matchmaking parties.
Sources: Asahi Shimbun Digital, via Livedoor News, Yahoo! Japan News/Mee Tele, Twitter
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- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2022/02/12/japanese-man-caught-using-fake-ids-to-sneak-into-matchmaking-parties-with-younger-women/
27 Comments
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Monty
That is funny.
Basicaly I guess fake IDs are made and used in real serious crimes.
But to use them for matchmaking parties is really funny.
And it is also interesting for me to see that you can fake your IDs by your own PC.
So you don't need to go secretely to a shady office with a shady person who fakes your IDs for hundreds of dollars. LOL
I mean, he didn't fake his Passport, just his drivers license, but anyway I am surprised that you can do that so easily by yourself on your own PC.
snowymountainhell
While younger people also often fake id’s as well, what’s most concerning here is the ‘random parking lot stop’ of the accused by the police for an id check.
Had to be some other activity going on first and/or ‘a tip’ from another disgruntled participant as the author and headline vehemently proclaim “caught using”.
snowymountainhell
Japanese nationals are not required to carry id when walking so they may have observed going to or from his car and used that premise. Foreigners must have identification on them at all times.
NOMINATION
Not saying ALL women but a woman in their 30s would likely be eyeing marriage so they aren't going to let him get away and be played with.
snowymountainhell
Here you go @Monty 7:52am some interesting reading about police “id” checks and Japanese driver’s licenses: - https://www.debito.org/?p=5221 -
https://www.turning-japanese.info/2013/10/common-types-of-japanese-legal-domestic.html -Fighto!
Are they trying to pin an adultery charge on him? Didnt know such a thing existed. If so, tens of millions of Japanese are in trouble!
Jonathan Prin
It is a pity for a dying demographically country to show him as rogue. Point is : did he have a real driver's licence on him ?
I am about sure the fake ones could be easily determined as fake by anyone if checked normally.
So he could go to such dating events and no ladies ever complained about his looking ?
kohakuebisu
Interesting one this, because he did not use his fake driving license for driving.
Of course, my sympathy for him is limited because he is assuming women in their forties cannot be as attractive to him as he assumes he must be to women in their thirties. He must be going to the parties in expectation of even just slight success. By his view, women in their thirties deserve his attention but women in the forties do not deserve his.
She's an outlier but Ryoko Yonekura is 46.
WilliB
Lamilly
Actually, it isnt. There is very little age discrimination here. But at this particular event, they really wanted younger people so he should have respected that.
runner3
I would have done exactly the same thing. But it is really ridiculous that age has anything to do with dating as long as everyone is an adult.
Chico3
Just when I thought I’ve seen and heard everything, a fake ID to look younger. This guy needs to get out of the sandbox.
purple_depressed_bacon
This is truly mind-boggling coming from a country where if the cashier, bouncer, bartender, waiter etc. thinks you look under 25, you're going to get carded. I'm rather stunned that underage drinking isn't more rampant here what with such lax checking of ages.
Also, don't people usually get fake IDs to claim to be older than they are? This guy definitely put an interesting spin on it.
Gaijinjland
Sounds really strange. There are plenty of younger women on dating sites with daddy issues who are specifically looking for older men. Not that hard to hook up with a 20yo if that’s your kink.
Mickelicious
For such an old society Japan is unbelievably ageist.
Paul14
I'm glad this sinister shark has been snared. If he was lying about his age, he was probably going to lie about everything else too (like not having a wife). If he can't be honest with other people, he doesn't deserve to date them either. What a loser!
Mark
No Harm No Crime.
JJ W
"Ageism" has nothing to do with flouting rules and thinking you're entitled to date women 10+ years younger than you. In fact you could argue he's the one being ageist because he won't date senior citizens lol
WA4TKG
Can you say “Hen’Na’ Oji’san” ?
Joe Blow
I guess he prefers in-person events?
No way to get SIFed at them.
prionking
I get your point, but if he's looking to start a family, the chances of that happening naturally diminish rapidly as a woman ages, so a woman in her 40s who would otherwise be a great catch might not be able to conceive. Of course there's still IVF and adoption as alternatives, but they're hit-and-miss as well.
In any case, it's a little sad that he had to resort to doing this to find a partner.
always stonned
Does this imply that Japanese Men look younger than Western Men of the same age group ?
I wouldn't be surprised at that conclusion, as that would appear to be the case from what I have seen to-date. Perhaps JT could do a follow-up article on such a Comparison, and indeed, expand it to different age groups too.... that would be interesting to see - especially if done so, along other Global comparisons.