Survey Reveals Decline in First Kisses and Sexual Activity Among Japanese Teenagers

In numerous countries, experiencing a first kiss is considered a typical adolescent rite of passage. However, a recent survey of Japanese high school students indicates that four out of five boys aged 15-18 have not yet reached this milestone. The situation is similar for girls, with just over one in four female high schoolers reporting they have had their first kiss. These figures represent the lowest recorded since Japan began inquiring about teenagers’ sexual habits in 1974. Such statistics are likely to be a concern for a nation with one of the world’s lowest birth rates. The study, conducted by the Japan Association for Sex Education (Jase), surveyed 12,562 students across junior high schools, high schools, and universities, asking questions ranging from kisses to sexual intercourse. This survey, which occurs every six years, has shown a consistent decline in first kisses since 2005, when the proportion was closer to one in two. This year’s report, however, found that the decrease was not limited to kissing. It also revealed a drop in the number of Japanese youth engaging in sexual intercourse. According to the study, the percentage of high school boys who reported having sexual intercourse fell by 3.5 points from 2017, reaching 12%. For high school girls, this figure decreased by 5.3 points to 14.8%. Experts have cited the impact of the Covid pandemic as a potential reason for this decline. School closures and restrictions on physical contact during the Covid pandemic likely affected many of these students, as it occurred “at a sensitive time when [they were] beginning to become interested in sexuality,” according to Yusuke Hayashi, a sociology professor at Musashi University, as quoted in the Mainichi newspaper. Conversely, the survey did identify one area of increase: the number of teenagers across all demographics admitting to masturbation reached record high levels. These results follow a separate survey conducted earlier this year, which found that nearly half of marriages in Japan are sexless. The findings from these surveys emerge as Japan strives to address its falling birth rate, providing further cause for concern. In 2023, the then-prime minister warned that the country’s low birth rate was pushing it to the brink of being able to function. Some researchers have suggested that Japan’s population, currently at 125 million people, could decrease to less than 53 million by the end of the century. A range of other elements have been identified as possible contributing factors, including rising living costs, more women pursuing education and work, and greater access to contraception, leading women to choose to have fewer children. Japan already possesses the world’s oldest population, as measured by the UN based on the proportion of people aged 65 or older. In late 2023, Japan announced that, for the first time, one in 10 people in the country were aged 80 or older. In March, diaper manufacturer Oji Holdings declared its decision to stop producing baby nappies to focus on manufacturing adult diapers. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.