51吃瓜网

Almost half of Japanese nationals have experienced loneliness and isolation, a government survey showed Friday.

According to the Cabinet Office’s first public opinion survey on the issue, 48.4% of respondents answered they feel “familiar” or “rather familiar” with such feelings, while 49.6% chose “not familiar” or “rather do not feel it.” The remaining 2.0% did not answer.

“It is important to spread awareness that anyone can face this issue,” a Cabinet Office official said. Describing the survey as a “compass,” the government plans to reflect the findings in its future policies.

Asked what comes to mind when thinking about loneliness and isolation, with multiple answers allowed, the top response was “something that affects mental and physical health,” chosen by 60.2%, followed by “something anyone can experience at various stages of life,” at 59.3%, and “something good to talk about with someone,” at 45.5%.

Loneliness and isolation became a pressing social problem especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which weakened people’s links with others and society.

In response, the government began implementing countermeasures, including the establishment of the Office for Policy on Loneliness and Isolation in February 2021.

The survey, conducted by mail between Oct. 23 and Nov. 30 this year, covered 3,000 individuals age 18 or older with Japanese citizenship. Of them, 53.5% provided valid responses.