1 in 4 low-income Japan households did not offer children experiential activities: poll

A recent survey conducted by Chance for Children in Tokyo has revealed that 24.8% of low-income households with elementary school children in Japan failed to engage in any experiential activities during the past year. This figure is nearly three times higher than the 8.8% rate among households earning at least 6 million yen per year.

The survey, which received 7,374 valid responses, aimed to examine the relationship between household income and participation in experiential activities such as club activities, volunteering, travel, and watching sports.

The disparity in experiential activity participation became even more pronounced when considering the use of cram schools and online learning. Among households with third-year junior high school students and annual incomes below 3 million yen, 63.2% did not utilize these services, compared to 29.1% among households earning 6 million yen or more. The same trend was observed among third-year high school students.

The financial strain caused by rising prices also led to a reduction in education spending among lower-income families. A staggering 15.9% of households with annual incomes below 3 million yen cut back on education expenses, compared to only 7.5% of households with annual incomes of 6 million yen or more. This difference is roughly two times higher.

In response to these findings, an official involved in the survey emphasized the importance of addressing societal disparities, including the foundations of household livelihoods. The official called for more generous support for children in households where educational opportunities are severely limited due to economic and other reasons, suggesting that more comprehensive policies should be implemented to narrow these disparities.