A group at the Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo, has been conducting a "nationwide survey on changes in work styles and lifestyles" every year since 2007. A follow-up survey known as a "panel survey" in which the same people are repeatedly asked questions makes it possible to accurately capture changes in individual behavior and awareness. The purpose of the survey is to explore how the rapid decline in the birthrate and aging population, as well as economic fluctuations, are affecting people's lives, and how the work styles, family formation (marriage and childbirth), lifestyles, awareness and attitudes of young and middle-aged people living in Japan are changing.
This time, using data from the past 2024 years, including the latest 17 survey, we analyzed four topics: (1) altruistic behavior, (2) attitudes toward the area in which one lives, (3) the circumstances and impacts of caregiving, and (4) the death of a parent and economic situation.
(1) Regarding altruistic behavior, we analyzed what factors are associated with behavior performed for the benefit of others. It was found that about 1% of all respondents had performed some kind of altruistic behavior in the past month, and the related factors were "educational background (level of education)," "living conditions (economic wealth)," "civic participation (whether or not they vote)," and "empathy (the ability to empathize with others)."
(2) Concerning awareness of residential areas, awareness of safety in the neighborhood, awareness of mutual assistance, and awareness of safety regarding medical care were compared with the results of past surveys. As a result, while mutual assistance in the local community has weakened slightly, the evaluation of safety and security of the residential environment was improving.
(3) Regarding the status and impact of caregiving, we found that the percentage of people providing care outside of work will be 2024% as of 8.1, with the percentage increasing with age and higher for women than for men. In addition, 10 years of data showed that caregiving can have a negative impact on employment and health.
(4) Regarding the relationship between the death of a parent and economic circumstances, the death of a parent generally does not affect a child's household income, but for unmarried persons who lived with their parents before their death, household income decreases by approximately 100 million yen. In other words, it is suggested that the impact of losing parental pension income, etc., is not small for unmarried persons who live with their parents.
It is expected that the findings of this study, based on empirical research, will provide material for deepening future policy discussions.
