It's an import in Japan as well. A generation or two ago, matchmaking/arranged marriage (omiai) was still the order of the day.

Apparently one step of omiai while evaluating each other was "Toward the end of the meeting, the potential couple were often advised to go off to spend some time alone, in order to get better acquainted.", which on its own pretty much sounds like the modern concept of dating.

I've seen big changes in a generation or two in Spain and the UK, while we don't "date" anymore, we just "hang out" with another person we are interested on. Dates over here seem outdated and too serious, something our parents did. However in Japan, they can mean a more casual out of two people of opposite sex, to the point that a couple can also go on a date after being married (which doesn't make sense if you see dating strictly as the precursor of finding a significant other).

so is Christmas kfc