Record number of Japanese are living alone: survey

Japan saw a record number of people living alone last year, while households with children under the age of 18 reached an all-time low, a government survey showed on Friday.

Single-person households in the Asian country totalled 18.5 million as of June 2023, comprising 34% of all households, the highest figures since records began in 1986, according to a national survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Among solo dwellers, the number of elderly individuals living alone totalled 8.55 million, the second-highest on record.

In contrast, households with unmarried children under 18 dropped to a record low of 9.83 million amid Japan's ongoing challenges from an ageing population and declining birth rates.

The ministry attributed the trends to the country's advanced age demographics and increasing rates of unmarried individuals.

"The primary reason for the increase in one-person households is the rise in the number of unmarried individuals, many of which are non-regular employees finding it difficult to support a family economically," commented Takashi Kadokura, a Japanese economist.

The survey also addressed financial hardships, with 59.6% of households reporting that life is "very difficult" or "somewhat difficult," up 8 percentage points from the previous year.

In particular, 65% of households with children described their financial situation as challenging, a significant increase from 2022, citing the rising cost of living as a primary factor behind the financial stress.

The average household income also declined, dropping to 5.24 million yen (about $32,590) from 5.46 million yen (about $33,960), as recorded in the previous survey.