TOKYO - Japan's children are increasingly turning away from books, with a nationwide survey finding that more than 70% spend less than an hour reading each week and nearly one in five do not read at all, raising concerns about literacy and learning as schools and families search for ways to rebuild reading habits.
The findings come as Japan marks its annual Reading Week, which began on October 27, traditionally a time to encourage reading during the autumn season.
A survey conducted in August 2026 by the Hakuhodo Foundation's Children's Research Institute, covering approximately 1,200 students from fourth grade through the third year of junior high school, found that 17.4% spent no time reading during a typical week. Including those who read for less than 30 minutes or between 30 minutes and one hour, the proportion reading for less than an hour reached 72.6%.
The survey also found that 76.5% of respondents considered watching videos or playing games more enjoyable than reading books.
The results are particularly striking because the survey used a broad definition of reading, including picture books, novels, manga, illustrated reference books, electronic books and audiobooks. The findings therefore suggest a decline not only in conventional reading but also in engagement with a wide range of written and illustrated materials.
Keisuke Inohara, an associate professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Kitasato University, attributed the decline partly to changes in school curricula and the growing number of competing activities available to children.
Reading time at elementary and junior high schools has been squeezed as subjects such as programming and English receive greater attention, while television, computers and smartphones offer increasingly diverse forms of entertainment.
The popularity of short videos on social media has also raised concerns about children's dependence on rapid stimulation and instant gratification. A new Japanese slang term, "dopagaki," combining dopamine with a derogatory word for children, has emerged to describe youngsters who appear hooked on dopamine-driven digital entertainment.
Publishers are responding by rethinking how books are presented to young readers, including making traditional biographies shorter, more visual and easier to finish.
One example is Great People's Stories: For People and Countries, published by Poplar Publishing for 1,320 yen. The book introduces the lives of 10 historical figures through brief, illustrated accounts designed to be read in approximately one minute each.
Rather than presenting the lengthy biographies that previous generations might have encountered, the book summarizes the life of figures such as Florence Nightingale across a two-page spread, using illustrations and a roadmap-style layout to highlight major events and achievements.
Business executive Harold George Meij said books of this kind could provide an important starting point for children who might otherwise avoid reading. He expressed hope that discovering a favorite historical figure would encourage children to explore longer and more detailed books.
The relationship between reading and academic performance is another reason educators are concerned about the decline.
Japan's 2026 National Assessment of Academic Ability and Learning Conditions found that children who said they enjoyed reading or considered it useful tended to achieve higher rates of correct answers and better scores across school subjects.
Although the findings do not establish that reading alone produces higher academic achievement, they suggest a strong association between positive attitudes toward books and academic performance.
Students at the University of Tokyo, Japan's most prestigious university, offered examples of how reading shaped their learning experiences.
One student recalled reading historical manga extensively before moving on to historical novels, describing comics as an effective introduction to more challenging material.
Another said a longstanding interest in novels had led to reading the Harry Potter series about three times, suggesting that repeated exposure to lengthy texts may have helped strengthen the ability to recognize and process written language.
A third student emphasized the importance of becoming deeply absorbed in a book, arguing that the experience of concentrating intensely on something enjoyable could encourage children to develop similar enthusiasm for other pursuits.
Educational commentator Ryoko Sato, who raised four children who all entered the University of Tokyo, believes vocabulary development is central to intellectual growth.
"The more words children know, the more deeply they can think," Sato said.
To encourage language development, Sato read 10 picture books to her children every day until they reached the age of three, continuing throughout the year and accumulating approximately 10,000 reading sessions.
Her approach focused on exposing children to spoken language even when they did not appear to be paying attention, rather than insisting that they sit quietly and concentrate on every page.
She also avoided keeping books neatly confined to shelves, instead placing them throughout the house where children could easily reach them.
By making books a constant part of their surroundings, Sato sought to reduce the psychological barriers associated with reading and make opening a book feel like a natural everyday activity.
She also emphasized the influence of parents' behavior, arguing that children are less likely to become enthusiastic readers unless they regularly see adults reading.
The Hakuhodo Foundation survey supports the importance of the home environment. More than 90% of children whose parents spent at least one hour a week reading said they liked books.
The findings suggest that relatively modest reading habits among adults may be associated with stronger enthusiasm for reading among their children.
Experts also argue that the rise of artificial intelligence makes traditional literacy skills more important rather than less relevant.
Inohara said reading comprehension and writing ability are essential for using AI tools effectively, particularly when evaluating information and communicating instructions accurately.
He recommended establishing manageable routines, such as reading for 15 minutes or completing 10 pages each day, rather than imposing demanding targets that could discourage children.
Choosing books appropriate to a child's reading ability is equally important, he said, because finishing a book provides a sense of achievement that can help reinforce the habit.
Meij similarly emphasized that discovering the right subject could be the key to developing a lasting interest in reading.
A book that connects with even a small personal interest, he suggested, can become the starting point for reading several pages a day and eventually progressing to longer works.
As digital entertainment competes for children's attention and AI transforms the way information is accessed, educators are increasingly focusing on helping young readers rediscover the enjoyment of books through accessible material, supportive home environments and small but consistent daily habits.
Source: TBS
