A survey by a Japanese nonprofit organization showed 32.8% of young people who are not financially secure are worried about how to get by during the upcoming year-end and New Year¡¯s holiday season.

Many respondents are seeking food supplies or financial aid to cover costs of heating, according to the organization, DxP, based in the city of Osaka. The organization, which helps young people in need, emphasized the importance of providing assistance before public consultation and other support windows close for the holidays.

The survey was conducted in October on 8,502 people who use DxP¡¯s consultation service via the free messaging app Line. Valid responses were received from 531 people, whose average age was 18.9.

According to the survey, 17.5% of the respondents are worried about the holiday season, with 15.3% saying they are very worried.

In contrast, 22.4% said they are excited or very excited about the holidays, and 33.9% said they have no particular feelings.

As for reasons for the anxiety, with multiple answers allowed, 65.5%, the largest group, pointed to financial difficulties, followed by 29.3% who said they have no place to be and 23.0% who cited the closures of public facilities and hospitals.

On what kinds of support they need during the holidays, 50.1% said they want food to be delivered to their homes, 34.8% called for financial aid to cover heating bills and 30.5% sought places offering free meals.

Asked about problems during the holiday period, a 20-year-old woman said a consultation facility and medical institutions she regularly visits are closed during the holiday period.

¡°I was once afraid that I might freeze to death when I couldn¡¯t pay my heating bills because I fell ill and couldn¡¯t earn money,¡± a woman, 24, said.

DxP head Noriaki Imai said, ¡°There are many young people who cannot consult their families or schools for help, and such people tend to be isolated especially during the year-end and New Year¡¯s holidays, when support organizations are closed.

¡°We hope administrative authorities will create online or other systems that make it easier for people in need to seek help, in order to make sure that the necessary assistance is provided before the closures of support organizations,¡± he said.