Record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, government survey finds
A recent survey found 78.2% of respondents feel anxious, the highest since 1981, with significant concerns about health and living standards.
Alright, here’s the gist:
The government’s latest survey shows anxiety at its highest level since 1981: 78.2% of people reported feeling anxious or worried. On top of that, 28.1% of respondents consider their living standards lower-middle, a peak in 35 years. Health tops the list of concerns (63.8%), followed by life after retirement (62.8%) and financial outlooks (58%).
Interestingly, 34.9% said they’re satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their income—a 3.5% bump from last year’s record low. Dissatisfaction also slid to 64.5%, down by the same margin. Some officials think this could reflect the effect of pay hikes, but people clearly have priorities: 66.1% want stronger action against inflation—unchanged from last year.
The survey, the 67th annual edition, gathered responses by mail from 3,000 Japanese citizens aged 18 and over, with a 61% response rate. However, fair warning: the results can’t be fully compared with past data since surveys used to be conducted in person.
And there you have it—pressure points on the table, inflation in the spotlight. #
