63% of Japanese say they are in financial stress, poll shows

A record 63.2% of respondents in a government survey in Japan said they do not feel financially secure and have a negative outlook on their future.

Compared to 2022, the proportion of people who faced financial stress in 2023 rose 0.7 percentage points against the backdrop of rising prices, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported Sunday, citing a Cabinet Office poll.

Over 57% of some 3,000 people age 18 or older responded to the latest poll, which was done last November and December.

Some 28.6% complained of difficulties in child-rearing, followed by 28.2% saying it is hard for young people to be independent.

Some 26.2% feel it is difficult for women to play active roles in society, while 25.8% said they are dissatisfied with their work environment.

According to 69.4% of respondents, inflation is pushing the country in a negative direction, while a significant percentage of people expressed concern over the economy.

In 2023, Japan's core consumer prices rose 3.1%, the fastest pace of increase in 41 years.

In contrast, real wages fell 2.5% in the year for the second straight year of decline, as government data showed salary hikes failed to match inflation.

A separate private-sector poll done in November showed that over 46% of regular workers from dual-income households in the world's fourth-largest economy said they are struggling financially.

On the positive side, the Cabinet Office poll found 25.1% of respondents saying that medical and welfare services are heading in a better direction.