Views and attitudes of this year’s new adults

With today being Coming of Age Day in Japan, we of course get a number of surveys on these new adults. This one from O-Net, a marriage agency, caught my eye.

Demographics

Between the 26th and 29th of November 2010 800 members of the Rakuten Research monitor panel who would be coming of age in 2011 – that is, born between the 2nd of April 1990 and the 1st of April 1991 – and were not married completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female. Furthermore, 75.0% of the males and 67.8% of the females were in university, 13.9% in colleges or other further education, 5.6% had full-time regular jobs, 5.7% in other jobs, 2.5% unemployed, 0.9% in the process of starting a job, and one other. 57.3% lived at home with parents, 39.1% were living alone, 2.% with other family, 1.3% with friends and 0.4% in other accomodation.

There’s a good number of surprising statistics, such as over two in five having thought of suicide, three in five males being herbivore, and just 2.4% supportive of the political direction of Japan.

The survey itself was a bit longer than the questions below, but I’ve run out of time tonight to translate…

Research results

Q1: Which of the following statements describe you? (Sample size=800, multiple answer)

	Yes	No
I don’t want to break pace with others	91.8%	8.3%
I take other people into consideration	88.6%	11.4%
I get nervous appearing in public	77.6%	22.4%
I easily become uncomfortable	73.6%	26.4%
I get depressed easily	72.1%	27.9%
I have high ideals	71.6%	28.4%
I am bad at keeping relationships secret from my parents	50.3%	49.8%
I have had thoughts about suicide	41.5%	58.5%
I can be friends with anyone	39.0%	61.0%
I prefer being with lots of people	32.9%	67.1%

Q2: Have you ever been bullied? (Sample size=800)

	Yes	No
Male N=400	46.5%	53.5%
Female N=400	56.0%	44.0%

Q3: Are you gentle to other people? (Sample size=800)

	Yes	No
Male N=400	76.3%	23.8%
Female N=400	71.5%	28.5%

Q4: Are you a herbivore boy or girl? (Sample size=800)

	Yes	No
Male N=400	60.3%	39.8%
Female N=400	53.3%	46.8%

Q5: Do you want to be attractive to the opposite sex? (Sample size=800)

	Yes	No
Male N=400	69.8%	30.3%
Female N=400	54.0%	46.0%

Q6: How do you feel about various aspects of Japan? (Sample size=800, multiple answer)

I like Japanese culture	84.1%
I like Japan	76.8%
I respect, love Japan’s history	67.4%

Q7: How do you feel about various aspects of internationalisation? (Sample size=800, multiple answer)

English is necessary for the future	75.6%
Even though there are lots of attractive opportunities for work abroad, I don’t want to take the plunge	48.4%
I want to study overseas, even just for a short time	47.9%
Rather than expanding my vision on overseas travel, domestic travel where I can be understood is more reassuring	47.0%
When looking for a job, rather than a growth industry that requires English, I prefer the civil service	45.9%
I prefer Japanese songs where I can understand the lyrics to overseas music	41.5%
Major league baseball is more interesting that Japanese baseball	10.3%

Q8: How do you feel about various aspects of Japanese society? (Sample size=800, multiple answer)

I understand why people don’t marry or delay marriage	54.1%
There is no systems in the Japan of today to support young people who wish to stand on their own two feet	47.8%
There’s a big risk being an adult in Japan today	46.4%
In order to have sufficient social welfare, I’m not bothered whether there is tax rises	45.0%
Japan today has an unfair society, and should be corrected	41.4%
In today’s world, women are stronger than men	36.4%
It’s OK if there’s disparity	34.3%
The shrinking birth rate is the responsibility of those in their twenties or thirties, rather than new adults	33.5%
I agree with Japan’s education system	15.0%
I want to participate in politics by standing for election somewhere	13.8%
I think Japan’s politics are proceeding well	2.4%