2024 Volume 22 Issue 4 Pages 675-682
To understand the current situation of elementary school children's commutes in Japan, an online survey targeting women aged 20-49 with children attending municipal elementary schools was conducted in the fall of 2023. This survey garnered 6,000 valid responses, revealing that 82% of children walked to school and 67% walked home daily, with walking being more prevalent in larger cities. Besides walking, family car rides were the most common mode of transportation, although after-school program operators often directly pick up the children. Less than 2% of the children used school buses more than 11 days per month for both arrival and departure. A significant number of children commuted with peers from their neighborhoods, yet 15% walked to school and 11% walked home alone. In terms of independent mobility, 77% were allowed to walk home by themselves, but only 15% were permitted to travel outside their school district. Parents identified risks such as strangers during commutes and traffic accidents and heatstroke outside of commuting times.
