DENTSU SOKEN INC. Conducts "2015 Comprehensive Youth Survey" ― Revealing the current youth profile: those with "Urahara Mind" ―

DENTSU SOKEN INC., which explores trends in consumer attitudes and deciphers future consumer behavior, recently collaborated with Dentsu's Youth Research Department (Wakamon) to conduct the "Youth Survey 2015." This survey targeted 3,000 high school students, university students, and young working adults in their 20s across the Kanto, Kansai, and Tokai regions. The survey examined young people's values, attitudes toward society and the future, perspectives on communication and consumption, hobbies, and interests.

Results revealed that regarding society and the future, the percentage feeling anxious about Japan's future (77.3%) was higher than those feeling anxious about their own future (64.4%). Meanwhile, 89.5% of young people responded that they like Japan.

Regarding communication attitudes, it was found that while young people maintain multiple groups and connections, skillfully communicating by switching between different personas and social media platforms, they also harbor a mindset where they sometimes want to reset their relationships.

This revealed the image of today's youth possessing contradictory mindsets – "Urahara Mind" – such as feeling anxious about Japan's future yet liking Japan, wanting to stay connected yet desiring to reset relationships.

The main topics identified in the survey are as follows.

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<Five UraharaMindsetsofYoung People>

1. 'Anxious about Japan's future' but still love Japan
2. Want to stay connected, but 'Want to reset relationships'
3. Men who 'want to lead society' but don't think about changing it
4. Women who feel 'anxiety about retirement' but want to enjoy the present
5. Want things but 'want to be seen as practical and thrifty'

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1. They feel "anxiety about Japan's future" but still like Japan

・The percentage who answered they are anxious about Japan's future was 77.3% of the total, exceeding the score for those who answered they are anxious about their own future (64.4%).

・89.5% of young people responded that they like Japan.

2. Want to stay connected, but 'relationships I want to reset'

・On average, people belong to 7 groups or connections where they interact or get information. On average, people also have 2 groups or connections they honestly want to sort out.

・The number of characters used in daily life: 5.7 characters for high school students, 5.0 characters for university students, and 4.0 characters for working adults in their 20s.

・LINE and Twitter are used by all generations; Facebook is popular among university students and older. Instagram: 1 in 2 female high school students has an account. People use multiple SNS platforms selectively.

・Multiple Twitter account ownership rates are 62.7% for high school students and 50.4% for college students.

・54.7% of all respondents said they sometimes feel like resetting their relationships. The highest rate was among female high school students at 67.8%.

3. Boys who want to 'lead society' but don't necessarily think about changing it

・When asked whether "our generation should take the lead and drive change" or "older generations should take the lead and drive change," the split was 58.0% to 42.0%. The highest percentage for the former was among male college students at 68.6%.

• When asked whether they believe "social systems can be changed through their own efforts" or "they can't do anything about it," the results were 42.9%:57.1%.

4. Women who feel 'anxious about retirement' but want to enjoy the present

・Current top anxieties: High school students cite "entrance exams/advancing to higher education" and "employment"; working adults in their 20s cite "money" and "work". Among working women in their 20s, "money (66.3%)", "work (44.9%)", "marriage (44.8%)", and "life in old age (42.5%)" ranked highly.

・As hobbies or favorite activities they feel can only be done now, high school girls cited "printing photo booth pictures (28.7%)" and "taking selfies (15.0%)"; college girls mentioned "events with friends (like takoyaki parties or drinking at home) (12.7%)"; and working women in their 20s listed "overseas travel (12.1%)" and "domestic travel (10.9%)"—activities focused on creating experiences and memories with close friends.

5. While they have things they want, 86.5% of all respondents answered "I want to be seen as practical/thrifty."

・86.5% of all respondents answered "I have things I want." However, over 50% across all demographics answered "I have things I want, but not enough to force myself to buy them." Among working men in their 20s, 20% answered "I don't have anything I want."

・Across all demographics, "wanting to be seen as prudent and thrifty" outweighed "wanting to be seen as generous or a big spender."

For detailed survey results, visit: http://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/pdf-cms/2015038-0420.pdf

Overview of the "2015 Youth Survey"

・Survey Method: Internet survey

・Target Areas: Kanto (1 prefecture and 6 counties), Kansai (2 prefectures and 4 counties), Tokai (3 prefectures)

・Survey Subjects: Unmarried males and females aged 15-29, high school age and above

　*Allocation based on the population composition ratio by gender and age group and the unmarried rate in the target areas

・Sample Size: 3,000 samples

・Survey Period: February 6 (Fri) to February 9 (Mon), 2015

・Survey Conducted By: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.

Dentsu Inc. News Releasehttp://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2015/0420-004029.html