Looks aren't everything. At least, that's what one Japanese dating service is trying to prove - by requiring participants in speed dating sessions to wear white surgical masks.

颜值非一切。至少，一家日本婚恋服务公司正力图通过要求参与速配活动的人带上白色医用口罩，来证明这件事。

"In order to achieve marriage, it is important to provide chances to know a partner's personality and values in the early stages," said Kei Matsumura, head of Tokyo dating service Def Anniversary.

婚恋机构Def Annivesary株式会社的社长松村佳依认为，“为了步入婚姻，在相识初期，提供机会了解伴侣的性格和价值观很重要。”

"We chose surgical masks as an essential tool for that."

“我们选择把医用口罩作为这样做的一个必要工具。”

White surgical masks covering most of the face are common sights in Japan, where people don them to avoid catching diseases, keep out pollen and, sometimes, just to keep their faces warm. Some women also opt for a mask on days when they haven't worn makeup.

在日本，用白色医用口罩遮挡脸的大部分是很常见的景象，人们戴口罩是为了避免感染疾病、阻挡花粉，有时仅仅是为了脸部保暖。有些女性也在素颜的时候选择戴口罩。

"Since I wasn't judged by my appearance, I think I was able to be more outgoing with women," said 28-year-old Yasumasu Kishi at a weekend speed dating event for 19 men and 18 women.

28岁的岸康增参加了一场19位男士、18位女士参与的周末速配活动，他说：“因为不以长相作判断标准，我想我能在女性面前更开朗。”

Dating services are booming in Japan as young people shy from tying the knot. The marriage rate has plunged by 50 percent over the last 40 years, from 10.1 per thousand in 1975 to 5.1 per thousand in 2014, according to a Health Ministry survey.

因为年轻人对于结婚这件事很害羞，使得婚恋服务在日本相当繁荣。根据日本卫生部的调查，在过去40年里，日本的结婚率下降了50%多，1975年的结婚率为1.01%，到2014年为0.51%。

Young people brought up in the digital era find face-to-face encounters daunting in ultra-polite Japan, while long work hours add still another hurdle. These make konkatsu - active "marriage seeking activity" - often the only option.

数字时代下长大的年轻人发现，在日本这个非常有礼貌的国家，面对面的接触让他们胆怯，而长时间的工作又为此设置了一个障碍。这让“猎婚”——定期参加“征婚活动”常常成为唯一的选择。

"I think I was able to find out more about their inner selves and not just judge them by their looks," said Chiharu Tsukahara, a 28-year-old office worker.

28岁的白领冢原千春称，“我想我能够更了解他们的内在，而不是仅仅以貌取人。”

"In this event, personality matters. I quite liked that," she added as she prepared to leave with Kishi and two friends for another date. This time, masks were optional.

“在这场活动中，性格真的很重要。我非常喜欢这点。”她还表示准备与岸和两位朋友参加下次约会。这次活动，口罩不是强制的。