Presentation by prof. Kenji Suzuki, Meiji University at the 16th meeting of the Project 2018 at the Stockholm School of Economics.

1. 1
Why do young people
have little hope in Japan?
Kenji Suzuki
Global Japanese Studies
Meiji University
Hope as a measure of
public policy
• The assessment of public policy with
happiness has recently become popular.
• However, “happiness” (and even “life
satisfaction”) may be increased by short-
sighted treatments, even though it would
damage long-term prosperity.
• “Hope” may be a good measure of the
public assessment of long-term prosperity.
Life satisfaction, 1999-2014
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
1999
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Age 20-29
All ages
% of those who say
that they are “satisfied”
or “rather satisfied”
with their life.
Source: Cabinet Office of Japan, National Life Survey.
Suicide rate, 1989-2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Age 20-29
All ages
Per 100,000
population
Source: Cabinet Office of Japan, National Life Survey.
How many people are
happy?
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
South Korea
France
Germany
Japan
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Completely happy
Very happy
Fairly happy
Neither happy nor
unhappy
Fairly unhappy
Very unhappy
How many young people
have hope for the future?
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Japan
France
Germany
Korea
UK
Sweden
US
I have hope
I have some hope
I don't have much hope
I don't have hope

2. 2
Hope of young people by gender,
Sweden and Japan
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Japan-male
Japan-female
Sweden-male
Sweden-female
I have hope
I have some hope
I don't have much hope
I don't have hope
Men suffer from gender gap
more than women
Rank of
Gender Gap Index
Difference of hope
(male-female)
Sweden 4 1%
Germany 11 -1%
France 15 1%
UK 18 -1%
US 28 -7%
Japan 101 -11%
Korea 115 -16%
Hope by working status
(Japan, by gender]
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Work full time
Work part time
Unemployed
Housewife
Not in education, employment or
training
Men
Women
Gap of hope between full time workers
and house-husbands/ wives
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
* Association not
significant
Unemployment by duration
Japan
Within
1
month,
19%
1-3
month
s, 26%
3-6
month
s, 13%
6-12
month
s, 16%
1 year
and
over,
26%
Sweden
Within
1
month,
45%
1-3
month
s, 25%
3-6
month
s, 16%
6-12
month
s, 10%
1 year
and
over,
5%
Gap of hope between employed and
unemployed
-40%
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
* Association not
significant

3. 3
Political interest of young people
Japan
Very
interes
ted,
10%
Kind of
interes
ted,
44%
Not
very
interes
ted,
28%
Not
interes
ted,
18%
Sweden
Very
interes
ted,
14%
Kind of
interes
ted,
34%
Not
very
interes
ted,
33%
Not
interes
ted,
19%
“My participation may be the catalyst for some
change in social phenomena that I want changed”
Japan
Agree,
8%
Kind of
agree,
30%
Not
really
agree,
37%
Not
agree,
26%
Sweden
Agree,
19%
Kind of
agree,
38%
Not
really
agree,
31%
Not
agree,
11%
% of those who have interactions with
foreign people
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Effect of interactions with foreign
people on hope
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Japan US Korea France Germany UK* Sweden*
* Association
not significant
Effect of hope on challenge spirit (Japan]
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Hope
No
hope
Agree
Kind of
agree
Not really
agree
Not
agree
“I am motivated to engage in things even if I am
not sure they will turn out okay.”
“I am motivated to engage in things even
if I am not sure they will turn out okay.”
Japan
Agree,
9%
Kind of
agree,
43%
Not
really
agree,
40%
Not
agree,
8%
Sweden
Agree,
22%
Kind of
agree,
44%
Not
really
agree,
28%
Not
agree,
6%

4. 4
Effect of hope on the ideal number of
children (Japan]
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Hope
No
hope
None 1 2 3+
Conclusion
• Lack of hope among young Japanese
largely reflects inflexibility of various
social systems in Japan.
• Improving hope among young
Japanese is a key to increase the
viability of the Japanese society.