Japan posted strong results in an international survey of adult skills released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Tuesday.

The survey, which involved approximately 160,000 participants between the ages of 16 to 65 from 31 countries and regions, included 5,165 randomly selected Japanese adults and was conducted between September 2022 and April 2023.

The purpose of the survey is to examine the relationship between skills required in everyday life, and factors such as participants¡¯ age and educational background.

This year marks the second time the survey has been conducted since its introduction in 2011. Questions were divided into three categories: literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving ¡ª a new addition.

Japan ranked second in both literacy and numeracy, down from first place in the 2011 survey. It tied with Finland for first place in problem-solving.

Literacy and numeracy skills were assessed on a six-level scale, from ¡°below Level 1¡± (under 176 points) to ¡°Level 5¡± (376 points and above), while problem-solving was assessed on a five-level scale up to Level 4. Japan ranked second in the proportion of participants scoring at level 4 or higher in numeracy, with 24.7%.

Overall, Japan¡¯s scores exceeded the OECD average across all age groups. The 16 to 24 age group stood out with the highest average score in numeracy among all participating countries, at 298.7 points.

Education Ministry officials attributed the strong performance among younger adults to increased high school and university enrollment rates, which exposed them to more advanced learning.

However, scores tended to decline with age, with the Education Ministry citing lower rates of doctoral degree holders and reduced adult self-directed learning as factors contributing the trend.

The OECD also flagged a concerning trend in reading comprehension, which stagnated or declined across most countries, including Japan. According to the survey, around 1 in 10 adults in Japan lacked basic reading skills.

Additionally, the OECD noted that the reading comprehension gap between adults, largely influenced by the education levels of parents, had widened over the past decade in many countries including Japan.