Miyazaki, a city in Japan, has begun encouraging its single residents to write love letters instead of using dating apps in a new program aimed to raise Japan’s declining birth rate.

To date, the letter writing program has resulted in over 32 face-to-face meetings and has brought together 17 couples after an estimated 450 sign-ups.

Rie Miyata, who heads the program, explained that they’re encouraging the practice of letter writing to help individuals develop deeper emotional, rather than superficial, connections.

Miyata said to Agence France-Presse, “It takes longer [than online dating], and inspires you to imagine the person you’re in communication with. It’s less about how good your penmanship is and more the fact that you write every single character sincerely and with care, thinking deeply about the person you’re writing to. That’s what makes letters so powerful.”

Applicants to the program are screened then paired with another individual based on their interests, such as hobbies and their taste in books. To encourage matches on personality, profile photos are forbidden. Individuals can then send and receive up to five letters before deciding if they want to meet in person.

A program flyer can be seen below.