EN-ICHI Opens Up the Future of Family and Community
[Info. File] 70% of Young People Want to Get Married: Ideal Age Seen as 25 to 29
Based on the Ministry of Education’s “Longitudinal Survey of Babies in the 21st Century” and the Children and Families Agency’s “Life Design Survey”
According to the 22nd Longitudinal Survey of Babies in the 21st Century (Children Born in 2001)(『21世紀出生児縦断調査 第22回調査（平成13年出生児）』), published by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in October 2024, between 60% and 70% of young people express a desire to get married.
This large-scale survey was conducted between 2022 and 2023, targeting over 21,000 men and women born in 2001 (aged 22 at the time).
Source: Created by the author based on the Ministry of Education’s 22nd Longitudinal Survey of Babies in the 21st Century（文部科学省「第22回21世紀出生児縦断調査」）
When asked about their views on marriage, both men and women most commonly answered that they would like to get married between the ages of 25 and 29 (40.4% of men and 51.5% of women).
Among men, the percentage who wanted to marry by age 24 (ages 20–24) has been steadily decreasing, reaching just 3.3% in this survey. Conversely, those preferring marriage at age 30–34 increased to 10.9%. Including those who answered, “I want to get married but haven’t thought about when,” nearly 70% of men expressed a desire to marry. Only 5.9% said they did not want to marry.
Among women, just 6.8% wanted to marry by age 24, while 6.5% preferred age 30–34, and 9.7% said they wanted to marry but hadn’t considered the timing. Over 70% expressed a desire to marry, while 7.8% said they did not want to marry.
Regarding the ideal age for having a first child, the most common response among men was “ages 25–29” (26.9%), followed by “ages 30–34” (22.9%). Meanwhile, 7.1% said they did not want children. For women, “ages 25–29” was also the most frequent answer (44.3%), followed by “ages 30–34” (14.9%). Notably, 12.3% said they did not want children.
Additionally, the Children and Families Agency conducted an online survey in July 2024 through its “Working Group on Life Design and Relationships for the Younger Generation.” The survey targeted 20,000 individuals aged 15–39. “Life design” refers to the comprehensive planning of future life events, including employment, marriage, and childbearing. Life design education—offered by local governments and other institutions—includes learning about career planning, pregnancy and childbirth, and communication skills.
The results showed that 62.7% of unmarried respondents said they wanted to get married (including those who answered “if possible”), while 19.9% said they did not want to marry. Regarding ideal marriage age, 44.7% of unmarried respondents chose “ages 25–29,” and this figure rose to 63.6% among high school students. Furthermore, 49.5% agreed with the statement “Marriage is a natural part of life,” and 48.9% agreed that “Having children is a natural part of life."
Among high school students (48.0%) and university students (41.7%) who had studied life design in class, the desire to marry was significantly higher (39.6%) than among those who had not received such education (29.4%). These students were also more likely to prefer the age range of 25–29 for marriage and reported higher levels of satisfaction with their own lives.
(Published with additions and revisions in the November 2024 issue of "EN-ICHI FORUM".)
