1 in 5 young people in Japan worry about appearance as social media amplifies distress

Osaka, Japan -- A recent survey conducted by the Children and Families Agency reveals that one in five young people in Japan, aged 13 to 29, are increasingly concerned about their appearance. This figure has slightly increased from 20.1% in the previous survey in fiscal 2018. Combined with those who were "somewhat worried," the total reaches 54%, the second-highest among the five countries surveyed, following France.

The most common response among the respondents was, "I don't like my appearance," indicating a widespread discontent with their physical selves.

The survey also found that unmarried women aged 15 to 19 had the highest proportion of respondents expressing this concern, at 70.5%. The rise in social media usage since the late 2000s is believed to have contributed to this trend, as it provides more opportunities for individuals to post and view images of themselves and others, which can amplify feelings of dissatisfaction with one's appearance.

Minako Omura, a lecturer in clinical psychology at Tokyo Future University, conducted a study in 2025 analyzing the relationship between social media usage and young people's perceptions of their appearance. The study divided 311 college students into two groups based on their level of fixation on their appearance. Those with a strong fixation on their appearance used an average of 3.58 social media apps daily, compared to 3.15 apps for those with less fixation.

Additionally, the high-fixation group spent an average of 225.81 minutes per day on social media, about three hours and 45 minutes longer than the less preoccupied group, which averaged 169.58 minutes per day.

Omura suggests that the heightened visibility of reactions to appearance on social media, such as likes and comments, may exacerbate these concerns. Adolescence, up to around age 20, is a critical period during which individuals compare themselves with others, and social media can intensify these comparisons, leading to amplified feelings of inadequacy.