Survey Finds Over a Third of Japanese Youth Have No Plans to Marry
A government survey reveals that 35% of unmarried Japanese people aged 15 to 39 say they do not intend to marry, citing income and lifestyle concerns.
The Children and Families Agency released results from its first large-scale online survey of Japanese youth aged 15 to 39, fielded from May 20 and closed on August 5. Out of 68,000 valid answers, 35.1% of unmarried respondents indicated they have no intention of marrying, while smaller shares wanted to marry someday, within two to three years, or as soon as possible. Over half of those surveyed said they value leisure activities and hobbies more than marriage.
The leading barriers identified were worries about earning enough for a stable married life and the prospect of losing free time for personal interests, followed by difficulty finding a suitable partner and housing costs. Women more often pointed to unequal sharing of housework and childcare, and the desire for a partner increased with age for both sexes. The agency plans to finish tabulating data within the fiscal year ending March 2027 and use the insights for future policy.
Why it matters
Understanding young adults' reluctance to marry helps shape policies on income security, housing and work-life balance in Japan.
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