A new relationship trend is gaining popularity in Japan, particularly among young people, asexual individuals, and homosexuals.

This trend, known as friendship marriage, involves cohabitating with a partner without the expectation of love or sexual intimacy.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), in friendship marriage, individuals choose to live together as platonic partners, sharing values and interests.

This arrangement allows them to enjoy companionship and emotional support without the traditional pressures of romantic relationships.

Friendship marriage partners are legal spouses who can live together and even form other relationships with mutual consent as people can choose to have children through artificial insemination or other means.

“Friendship marriage is like finding a roommate with similar interests,” an individual living in a friendship marriage for three years said to SCMP.

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According to an agency specializing in friendship marriage, Colorus, individuals with an average age of 32.5 years and an income exceeding the national average are most interested in this relationship model.

It is also gaining traction among asexual individuals and homosexuals seeking alternatives to traditional marriage patterns.