[Info. File] Home is Still the Primary Place of Belonging: Weak Images of Marriage and Child-Rearing Among Youth

From the Cabinet Office's "Survey on the Attitudes and Lives of Children and Young People"

The Cabinet Office released the results of its "Survey on the Attitudes and Lifestyles of Children and Young People" at the end of March 2023. The survey was conducted in November 2022 nationwide, targeting 20,000 men and women aged 10-39 and 10,000 men and women aged 40-69.

Over 90% of children and young people (under 40 years old) responded that they "think they are loved by their parents (guardians)" ("I think so" + "I think so to some extent"). Additionally, the percentage of people who "think I am happy now" (same answer) was high, at over 80% across all age groups.

In a survey of 15-39 year olds, when asked about a place where they feel at ease, of six places ("my room," "home," "school," "workplace," "community," and "online space"), "home" was the top choice (87.0%), followed by "my room" (84.3%). Meanwhile, "school" and "workplace" were cited by only 40% of respondents, suggesting a lack of involvement and connection.

When asked about their image of themselves in 20 years' time, 83.7% answered "taking good care of my parents" (same source), and 76.7% answered "happy" (same source), but more than 40% of young people could not imagine themselves raising children, with 66.9% saying "married" (same source) and 55.3% saying "raising children" (same source). Furthermore, less than 10% said they "would be active on the world stage" or "become famous," revealing a realistic side.

Source: Created by the author based on the Cabinet Office's "Survey on the Attitudes and Lives of Children and Young People"

The survey also covers hikikomori (hikikomori in the broad sense). Among those who answered "I only go out for hobby-related errands," "I go to the local convenience store," "I leave my room but never leave the house," or "I rarely leave my room," those who have been in this state for six months or more and who cite no illness or other reasons as reasons were defined as hikikomori (broadly defined hikikomori).

The survey found that 2.05% of those aged 15-39 and 2.02% of those aged 40-64 were in a hikikomori state. Applying this to the entire nation, this figure would amount to an estimated 1.46 million people. When asked why they are currently not going out, 494 people in a hikikomori state who rarely go out cited "the COVID-19 pandemic" as the most common answer.

The survey offers some interesting insights into the relationship between a sense of belonging and self-perception, including self-esteem. The more places there are that meet the three criteria of "feeling safe," "having someone to talk to," and "having someone to help," the more likely children and young people are to have a high sense of self-esteem, a spirit of challenge, a sense of present happiness, hope for the future, and a desire to contribute to society.

With youth social withdrawal and suicide becoming a problem, schools and workplaces are also being called upon to provide places of belonging.

(This article is based on the May 2023 issue of "EN-ICHI FORUM" and has been revised and expanded.)

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