OSAKA -- About 70 percent of single female office workers do not want to marry a man who earns less than they do, according to a survey released Thursday by Ommg Inc., a marriage information service agency.
The survey was conducted on 400 women aged between 20 and 39 living in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Kansai region in January. More than half the respondents have annual salaries of between 2 million yen and 4 million yen.
The largest group, 33.9 percent of women in their 20s, want their future husbands to earn between 5 million yen and 7 million yen a year, while 36.8 percent of women in their 30s hope for between 7 million yen and 10 million yen.
Of all respondents, 69.5 percent say future husbands must earn more than they do, while 52.5 percent say they hope to marry a very rich man.
The agency, which conducted similar surveys in 1997 and 1999, said the salary levels expected of future husbands have increased in the latest survey.
Only 18.7 percent of women in their 20s and 5.9 percent of those in their 30s say love is the most important condition for marriage.
The agency said the emphasis on future husbands' earning power may reflect the prolonged economic slump. They said "chemistry" and a sense of values are also considered important, but to a lesser extent.