The purpose of this study is to clarify how young adults in Japan establish their romantic relationships with particular reference to mobile communications. It is said that as mobile phone use has spread among young adults, interpersonal relationships and communications have been transformed qualitatively. Moreover, the resulting decrease of interpersonal communication skills between young adults has been viewed as a problem. The increase in the number of young adults who are not dating and the reduction in the marriage rate in recent years have been attributed in part to the weakness of their “interpersonal communication skills” (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 2013). However, the “youth society” must have its own means to build relationships, therefore we should clarify in detail how they communicate with others and build romantic relationships.

  Qualitative research methodology was utilized in this study. The qualitative research data consisted of four discussion groups and four semi-structured interviews. Each group was divided by occupation (students or company employees) and gender, and the total number of participants in the discussion groups was 24 people, 14 of them female and 12 male. An interviewee was chosen from each group.

  The results of the analysis show that the communication by means of mobile phone (“ke-tai”) can be a device for measuring the distance between people. In addition, youths tend to be excessively concerned with interpersonal skills and the paradox of communication skill: the more effort that is put into developing better communication and paying attention to the attitudes and remarks of the interlocutor, the harder it is to build a romantic relationship.

  The number of third-party guardians in the adult guardianship system is increasing. In the past, a family member assumed the role of an adult guardian in most cases. Now, however, third-party adult guardians are becoming more common. Why has the role of the adult guardian shifted from family members to third parties? What kind of the property of a third-party guardian in relation to the socialization of care? In this paper, I aim to answer these questions by using ‘the need for professionals’, ‘transformation of normative consciousness’, and ‘changes in family functions’ as explanations.

  In this study, 107 cases published in the quarterly adult guardianship journal Jissen Seinen Kōken were selected for analysis. They were categorised and tabulated on the basis of three analytical frameworks: ‘the need for professionals’, ‘preference of the ward’, and ‘unavailability of an individual to assume the role of an adult guardian’.

  The results showed that the most frequent case framework was ‘unavailability of an individual to assume the role of an adult guardian’, followed by ‘the need for professionals’ and ‘preference of the ward’. Thus, it became clear that people choose a third-party guardian because there is no one else available, despite the need. This finding was contrary to my prediction that third-party guardians are chosen because of the need for professionals.

  Additionally, I evaluate the association of the socialization of care and the role of a third-party guardian. In consequence, I claim that the preference for the choice of a third-party guardian leads to the socialization of care for the elderly.