Is Japan really moving away from TV? NHK figures reveal trends by age
The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about the decline in conventional television viewing, particularly among younger p
NHK's 2025 Japanese Time Use Survey reveals a shift away from traditional television viewing, particularly among younger generations. Only 33% of respondents aged 20-29 and 43% aged 30-39 watched TV at original broadcast time for at least 15 minutes on the survey day, indicating a majority did not watch live programs. In contrast, nearly 90% of those aged 60 and older watched TV live. This is the first time since the current survey method began in 1995 that a decline has been observed across all age groups.
Daily TV viewing time among 20-somethings fell from 1 hour and 22 minutes to just 53 minutes, while those in their 30s saw a drop from 1 hour and 32 minutes to 1 hour and 3 minutes. Conversely, time spent watching online videos surged across all age groups. People in their 20s increased their online video viewing from 1 hour and 3 minutes to 1 hour and 38 minutes, and those in their 30s rose from 42 minutes to 1 hour and 7 minutes. Streaming platforms like Netflix and free catch-up service TVer have gained popularity.
Despite this trend, television remains relevant. The second season of TBS drama series Vivant, which premiered in July, achieved an average household viewing rate of 18.8% in the Kanto region, a relatively high figure for recent years. This demonstrates that while TV viewing habits are evolving, the medium still holds significant appeal.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
