世論 What Japan Thinks

With Coming of Age ceremonies being held mainly on the 14th of January this year, it is timely to look at a recent survey of these soon-to-be adults conducted by MacroMill Inc on the topic of new adults, specifically how they see their future.

Demographics

Over the 20th and 21st of December 2007 516 members of the Macromill monitors who will be attending a Coming of Age ceremony in 2008 completed a private online questionnaire. The sample was split 50:50 male and female, and of course all were either 19 or 20 years old.

One thing that always puzzles and suprises a lot of foreigners about Coming of Age is that ceremonies are held in Disneyland, and many people target getting a photo taken with Mickey Mouse. One would think that becoming an adult would mean throwing away the trappings of youth, and one gets the feeling that they are not saying goodbye to Mickey et al, but see you later; now as wage earners, they can visit the mouse at home under their own steam.

Although many seem to be quite positive regarding their own future, the number seeing Japan in a positive light in Q3 is depressing, and that is an issue I’d love to see explored further some time. I wonder how much is due to pensions, given Q5, but since there seems a high degree of interest in politics and elections in Q6, do these new adults view it as something they cannot change?

Research results

Q1: Do you have dreams for the future? (Sample size=516)

Yes	62.6%
No	25.2%
Don’t know	12.2%

Q2: How do you see your own future? (Sample size=516)

Bright	12.0%
Perhaps bright	31.2%
Can’t say either way	38.4%
Perhaps dark	14.1%
Dark	4.3%

Q3: How do you see Japan’s future? (Sample size=516)

Bright	1.2%
Perhaps bright	7.9%
Can’t say either way	43.6%
Perhaps dark	33.5%
Dark	13.8%

Q4: Looking forward to the Coming of Age ceremony, how do you think regarding the following statements? (Sample size=516)

	Agree	Perhaps agree	Perhaps diagree	Disagree
Coming of Age ceremony is needed	23.1%	40.3%	18.8%	17.8%
It is a responsibility of citizens to pay their pension dues	26.7%	44.2%	18.2%	10.9%
When coming of age, it is necessary to be aware that one now is an adult	52.1%	36.0%	6.8%	5.0%

Q5: How do you think regarding the state pension system? (Sample size=516)

Can rely on it	0.8%
Perhaps can rely on it	16.5%
Perhaps can’t rely on it	48.4%
Can’t rely on it	34.3%

Q6: How interested are you in politics and elections? (Sample size=516)

Politics

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Interested	29.5%	35.7%	23.3%
Quite interested	38.8%	34.1%	43.4%
Quite disinterested	21.7%	18.2%	25.2%
Disinterested	10.1%	12.0%	8.1%

Elections

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Interested	26.9%	30.2%	23.6%
Quite interested	34.5%	30.2%	38.8%
Quite disinterested	26.2%	26.4%	26.0%
Disinterested	12.4%	13.2%	11.6%