【Data】Classifying Young People Across Japan's 47 Prefectures ~The Regional Characteristics of Today's Youth~

In "Wakamon Data," we introduced ten types of contemporary youth under the title " Ten Unique Wakamon," based on the "Youth Cluster Analysis" focusing on media communication behavior.

When we discuss this, we sometimes receive comments like, "But isn't that just about urban youth?" or "Aren't urban and rural areas fundamentally different?" Of course, regional characteristics are very important factors influencing people's values and behaviors. Beyond that, numerous other factors come into play, such as the era they grew up in, the education system, and family environment.

However, when considering regional differences from the perspective of the communication environment, the evolution and widespread adoption of communication tools like smartphones, coupled with the development of IT infrastructure, have made it easy to access the same information, content, and experiences at the same time, no matter where you are in the country. And often for free or at low cost. Using SNS, you can not only connect with distant friends and family or strangers who share your hobbies, but even "connect" with celebrities. The information gap caused by region and distance has narrowed dramatically. From this perspective too, the value young people place on cities versus their hometowns is changing.

This analysis focuses anew on the "regionality = area-specificity" of young people in today's world, where "you can buy things online without going to the city" and "you can connect with others." Based on lifestyle attitudes and values such as attachment to their region, sensitivity to fashion and trends, and interest in politics and social issues, we performed cluster analysis. We classified young people aged 15-24 across Japan's 47 prefectures into eight distinct patterns.

Youth Area Clusters: Classifying Young People Across 47 Prefectures

Here's a brief introduction to the patterns we identified, starting with the first four.

・"Happy My Life" (14.9%): Highly fashion- and trend-conscious, loves shopping
・"Socially Aware Character Builders" (6.6%), who are less proactive but have broad interests
・"Low-Energy Type" (11.7%), generally disinterested in world affairs
・ "Vaguely Anxious" (14.0%), highly concerned about future-related social issues like declining birthrates and energy problems

*Numbers in parentheses indicate percentage of total 15-24 year olds

 

Furthermore, based on differences in how they interact with information using the internet, they are divided into two clusters.

・ "Net Socialists" (11.5%)
Interested in political, economic, and social issues; highly IT literate. Common in the Tokyo metropolitan area and among university students.
They have their own methods for filtering information and prefer solitude over group settings.

・ "Net Socializers" (11.4%)
Skilled at using PCs and mobile devices to satisfy their curiosity about hobbies and interests.
They enjoy novel or unusual things and are willing to spend generously on their passions.

Both clusters exhibit distinctive internet usage patterns: the former focuses on societal issues, while the latter centers on personal interests. Each group effectively handles information to satisfy their respective desires.

"Diligent and locally-loving" youth vs. "Somehow locally-loving" youth

The most distinctive feature this time was the two clusters showing strong attachment and affection for their hometowns.

When discussing "youth local orientation," it's often characterized by liking one's hometown, lacking aspiration for big cities like Tokyo, limited interest beyond one's immediate area, valuing local communities, and having a narrow activity radius centered around suburban shopping malls. However, this classification revealed a gradient among young people with a "local-loving" mindset.

・The "Down-to-Earth Local Lovers" (14.5%)
Strongly loves their hometown and is highly aware of local politics, administration, and social issues.
They actively participate in local events, festivals, and volunteer activities,
value loyalty and human relationships, and are the type to quickly bond with others.

・ "Casual Local Lovers" (15.3%)
They have a strong attachment to their hometown and find it a comfortable place to live.
They don't have a strong interest in world affairs or particular concerns about information or shopping.

Young people who are "down-to-earth and love their hometown" because their attachment drives them to focus on the community, take interest, and act. Young people who "just kind of like their hometown" despite their attachment, but don't actually take much action or show strong interest. Comparing the regional distribution of these two clusters to the national average reveals a characteristic pattern: the former are more prevalent in the Chubu and Kyushu/Okinawa areas, while the latter are more common in the North Kanto area.

"Net Socializers" enjoy the present, while "Net Socialists" prepare for the future

What about their consumption mindsets? "Net Socializers" scored higher on "I spend money to enjoy my current life (84%)", showing a proactive stance toward consumption that enriches the present. Conversely, "Net Socialists" scored higher on "I save money to prepare for the future (67%)", revealing a conservative consumption mindset. "Happy My Life" scored high on "Enjoy shopping itself. Love it (84%)", indicating a love for shopping. Since this cluster includes many working women, the amount of disposable income they have may also be a factor.

The "Down-to-Earth Local Lovers" mentioned earlier show a tendency to be both proactive and conservative, embodying a "down-to-earth" nature. In contrast, the "Casual Local Lovers" show a slight tendency to focus on enriching the present, but without a strong, defined mindset.

Whether in the city or the countryside. Eight clusters scattered nationwide

These eight youth patterns aren't simply divided between urban and rural areas; they're dispersed nationwide. That said, just as "Kansai youth are like this" or "Nagoya is like that" often become topics reflecting local culture and regional characteristics, distinct area-specific traits emerge. Compared nationally, the "Net Society-Oriented" group is more prevalent in the Tokyo metropolitan area (16.7%), while the two clusters characterized by strong local ties are somewhat less common. For instance, "Happiness My Life" types are slightly more common in Kansai (16.3%), while the Chubu region has a higher proportion of "Down-to-Earth Local Love" types (18.5%).

This time, rather than deliberately focusing on regional characteristics like "What defines young people in the XX area?", we first classified types based on values and sensibilities, then examined the distribution patterns across regions. Some young people actively engage with and try to invigorate their hometowns even while living in cities, while others in rural areas possess urban sensibilities and values. While the fundamental factor dividing people is ultimately "the person themselves," the results offer glimpses of the influence of regional characteristics.

Which type do the young people around you belong to?

 

〈Analysis Overview〉
Factor analysis and cluster analysis conducted based on Video Research Ltd. "J-READ" data.
Dentsu Inc. conducted the analysis independently. Aggregated data spanning multiple prefectures was calculated with regional population weighting applied.
Data Used:J-READ (Japan Newspaper Audit)
Survey Sponsor: Video Research Ltd.
Survey Area: All 47 prefectures
Analysis Target: 4,193 male and female samples aged 15-24 (J-READ total: 28,826 samples aged 15-69)
Survey Period: October 20 (Sun) to October 26 (Sat), 2013
Survey Method: Mail survey using random telephone numbers

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【Wakamon Profile】
Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department (commonly known as Wakamon) is a planning team that engages with the real lives and mindsets of young people, primarily high school and university students. By understanding their "present," we seek hints to brighten and invigorate the near future. We foresee the future based on their insights and realize new businesses that foster better relationships between young people and society. Currently, 14 project members are based across our Tokyo headquarters, Kansai branch, and Chubu branch. Information is also shared on the Wakamon Facebook page.