EN-ICHI Opens Up the Future of Family and Community
[Info. File] Japanese High School Students Prefer Face-to-Face Interaction with Friends
Based on the National Institution for Youth Education (NIYE), “International Survey on High School Students’ Use of SNS”
NIYE conducted an international comparative survey on high school students’ use of social networking services (SNS) in Japan, the United States, China, and South Korea, releasing the results in July 2024.
The "Report on High School Students’ Use of SNS (「高校生のSNSの利用に関する調査報告書」)" was carried out from September 2023 to January 2024. Respondents were high school students in four countries: Japan 4,356; United States 1,512; China 7,750; South Korea 1,508.
First, the share of students who use SNS (e.g., LINE, Instagram, Facebook) exceeded 90% in all four countries, reaching 98.8% in Japan. On weekdays in Japan, reported usage times were “1–under 2 hours” (26.7%) and “2–under 3 hours” (25.3%). In the U.S., “5 hours or more” was the largest category at 21.8%. On weekends, usage increased substantially in Japan as well, with “5 hours or more” rising to 27.2%.
As for purposes of SNS use in Japan, the most common were “entertainment such as games and music” (86.2%) and “gathering information on hobbies and areas of interest” (82.4%).
Looking at interpersonal relationships, 49.2% of Japanese students said they “have people they met via SNS,” and 43.3% said they “have met such people in real life.” Both figures were highest in the U.S., at close to 70%.
Regarding the statements “It’s easier to express my feelings to people I met on SNS than to real-life friends” and “It’s easier to express my feelings via SNS than by talking to friends directly,” only 18.5% and 26.7% of Japanese students agreed, respectively—about 20 points lower than the other countries. Nearly half (47.3%) felt that SNS had “improved” their friendships, yet Japanese students appear more inclined than their peers elsewhere to prefer direct, in-person interaction.
Source: Compiled by the author from NIYE, "Report on High School Students’ Use of SNS — A Comparative Study of Japan, the U.S., China, and South Korea" (国立青少年教育振興機構「高校生のSNSの利用に関する調査報告書－日本・米国・中国・韓国の比較－」).
When asked about SNS’s impact on daily life, Japanese students reported high rates for “I’ve gained more hobbies and interests” (88.8%) and “My interest in society has increased” (55.9%). On the other hand, only 25.8% said “My motivation to study has increased,” compared with around 40% in the other countries; and 20.2% said their “ability to manage time” has increased—with Japan also showing the highest share among the four countries who felt these abilities had decreased.
As for negative experiences such as personal information leaks, fraudulent billing, insults, or harassment, Japan’s rates were generally below 10% and lower than in the other countries. Japanese students were also less likely than their peers to say that behaviors like impersonation or posting insults/harassment are “that person’s freedom,” indicating a more critical stance toward problematic conduct.
(Published with additions and revisions in the August 2024 issue of "EN-ICHI FORUM")
