Over 35% in Japan feel lonely amid pandemic; young people hit harder

Apr 09, 2022 | News On Japan

Apr 09, 2022 (Japan Today) - More than 35 percent of people in Japan feel lonely and isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with young people in their 20s and 30s hit harder than the elderly as the result of limited social interaction, a government survey showed Friday.

The survey polled 20,000 people aged 16 and older nationwide in a random sample as of December, before the highly transmissible Omicron variant rapidly spread across the country in a sixth wave of the pandemic that pushed coronavirus cases to record levels.

Asked about whether they feel lonely, 4.5 percent said they often or always feel that way, while 14.5 percent said they feel it sometimes and 17.4 percent responded they experience loneliness every once in a while.

In a question allowing multiple answers, many said their loneliness was triggered because they live alone or due to the death of a family member. Feeling sick, starting at a new school or a new job were also cited among the reasons.

By age group among those who often or always feel lonely, those in their 30s were the highest at 7.9 percent, followed by those in their 20s at 7.7 percent. The lowest was those in their 70s at 1.8 percent.

The survey, which yielded valid responses from 11,867 people, showed that about 62 percent said they either hardly or absolutely do not feel lonely due to the pandemic. ...continue reading

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