What do you think of Japan's record high number of singles?
 

BBC News - Japan singletons hit record high

I find this really fascinating, especially considering how low the birth rate has been in Japan.

What do you all think? Opinions? Insights? Criticisms?

I think that it is taken out of context to some extent.

18-22 is still in school. The economy sucks big time right now, so there is a bit more dedication shown toward studying. A relationship you can`t maintain because of study and job hunting is one that will not last, and one you do try too hard to maintain could be damaging to those efforts. It is easier not to try to date at this point.

23-28 is "search for financial stability" time. Starting out in a job that was hard to secure and trying to keep it and do well. Again, a relationship is hard to maintain at this point and struggling to maintain it can be damaging. It is easier to not attempt to date at this point.

29-34 is where people are starting to settle down and *get married* rather than just date.

I would also like to see these figures reflecting what percentage of these age groups are *married*. The figures make it sound like that is the percentage of people without partners, when it is just the figures for unmarried. If the marriage rate has gone up, it would totally negate the figures.

This really just screams "the economy sucks!" to me more than anything. If you don`t have financial stability, you are more likely to be pursuing it rather than a date. And when you do have stability, you are more likely to be pursuing marriage rather than a date.

I am also kind of curious what sort of sample base this is coming from. The type of people likely to answer a non-mandatory survey are more likely to be the type of people who are serious about things in life. More focus on school, work, etc.

Hm, now that you mention it, I'm beginning to question the samples from which this data was collected too. You make good points in saying that so many factors play into Japanese people's decision not to date (job-hunting, seeking financial stability, etc). I'm especially curious about this study's mention that "it is impossible to find a good partner once they had passed the age of 25." What do they mean by this? Do older people lack vitality that younger people have, hence they don't have much energy to go out and pursue a partner? Are they too tied down in their jobs and have such little time to date? Or could it really be that women would rather live the single life because of their negative views of marriage? That would make sense, women have it pretty hard once they become a wife and are obligated to take care of the household (for native Japanese women, at least).

I wish this study categorized the percentage of married vs. non-married a little better instead of making the age-range so broad. It would make our speculations a little clearer I guess.

To be honest, that one only makes sense to me if they are referring to *casual* dating. The great majority doesn`t get married until after 25, so it would be very hard to imagine 25 being a cut off...
Unless, of course, they mean completely casual one-night-stand or meet every once in a while type of very casual relationship. People over 25 generally aren`t looking for that type of relationship, so being over that age could make it harder.

This would depend on the person, I suppose. But I think it isn`t so much vitality as not wanting to waste time and money.

I think this is closer to reality. With the economy in poor shape and both partners needing to work to get by, it is a lot harder to find spare time that matches up. Taking time off isn`t really an option when you are concerned about keeping your job and achieving financial stability.

I think you are a bit off in your understanding of this. In my observance it isn`t so much a negative view of marriage. It is a financial issue. (Women really do not have it that hard in marriage, contrary to the popular western view of things in Japan... Women are no more "obligated to take care of the household" in modern times than they are elsewhere.)
The big issue is that most women end up leaving their jobs after marriage to have and then raise children. This isn`t a glass ceiling as much as an active choice and social expectation. There is a strong belief that children receive the best care from their own parents rather daycare. Even the most progressive women usually leave their jobs for a fairly long period after having a baby.
Now, with pay low and the economy in poor shape, this means that you have to be pretty confident in your finances to even think about settling down. One of the ways to deal with this is for a woman to work and save like crazy before getting married or having children. Saving takes time, so serious relationships get pushed further and further into the future. No one wants to be stuck raising a child in poor financial straits.

I think it would have made more sense to go by 25 to 35 or about.

Really, if you read it the other way, it doesn`t sound nearly as bad. 41% of unmarried men are already involved in relationships, with 75% of those who are not actively looking for a partner. 50% of unmarried women are already in a relationship, with 80% of those who are not looking for a partner.

Yeah I agree, it doesn't sound that bad. Almost a 50/50 ratio. In my opinion it would be an issue if there were way less than 41% of unmarried men involved in relationships. Now that would say something.

It's funny how the news makes a big deal out of something that isn't that bad. :p But then again, I think it's important that the Japanese government continue these kinds of surveys every few years. Especially considering the low birth rate and high aging population, it's good that they are figuring out reasons why this is all happening.