Abstract
The NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute conducted a public opinion survey—the Attitude Survey on Contemporary Japanese Society and Daily Life—in 2024 in order to broadly capture people’s values and attitudes toward Japanese society.
Among these, this paper presents survey results related to topics that have become subjects of public debate or growing concern in contemporary Japan, including “marriage and children,” “gender,” “foreign residents,” and “the environment.”
Regarding the “declining birthrate,” approximately half of the respondents (53%) hope that the trend will be curbed within the next ten years. However, only 9% believe that such a slowdown in the trend is likely to occur, revealing a stark gap between hope and expectation.
In terms of “foreign residents,” only 8% report that they “frequently” have opportunities to interact with foreigners in their daily lives. Even when combined with those who report “occasionally” (16%), the proportion is a mere one in four. Opinions were divided regarding an increase in the number of foreign residents living in Japan: 51% “agree” (including “somewhat”), while 46% “disagree” (also including “somewhat”).
