Asians marrying later or not at all

Asians are marrying later in life, according to a report in The Economist magazine.What's more, some of them are not marrying at all.

According to the report titled 'Asia's lonely hearts', the average age of marriage in the richest part of Asia, namely Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong, have risen to 29-30 for women and 31-33 for men.

In Singapore, 27 per cent of university graduates aged between 40 and 44 are not married, the report said.
More than 20 per cent of Taiwanese women in their late 30s are still single, likewise one-third of Japanese women.

The trend is even more pronounced in cities like Tokyo, with 35 per cent of women in their early 30s still unmarried.

This is due to working women forsaking marriage because of difficulties in balancing work and family life.
Asian women have it tougher because they are the primary caregiver for their husbands, children and also ageing parents, while still working full-time. Some then choose to give up families for their careers.

China and India are still unaffected, but the gender selection culture common to both countries will see 60 million more men of marriageable age than women in both countries by 2050.
The Economist also said Asian marriage was "eroding on a vast scale", although it was not "breaking down".