The Current State of Japan's "Individuals," "Families and Communities," and "Society" as Surveyed Nationwide Among 12,000 People

DENTSU SOKENINC. and Dentsu Inc. Future Forecasting Support Lab conducted the "Quality of Society Survey 2020" in November last year, surveying 12,000 people nationwide in Japan under the supervision of Professor Yasufumi Shibauchi of Tokyo Keizai University. This survey, aimed at understanding people's awareness and values regarding society, was first conducted in December 2019. This is the second iteration of the survey. Plans are in place to collect and accumulate data annually going forward.

This series explores the current state of people's awareness and values regarding society, based on key findings from the survey, and seeks pathways toward realizing a society where people can find meaning in life.

<Table of Contents>
▼The "Quality of Society" Questioned Today
▼Three Perspectives of the "Quality of Society Survey"
▼[Society Perspective] The Need for Accurate and Reliable Information
▼ [Family & Community Perspective] Growing Positive Attitudes Toward Men's Participation in Childcare and Housework
▼ [Individual Perspective] People's Outlook on the Future Shaped by COVID-19
▼Exploring Pathways to Realize a "Society" Where People Find Meaning in Life

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The "Quality of Society" Now in Question

Japan faces mounting challenges threatening its very foundations: declining birthrates and aging populations, various disparities, and regional depopulation. Meanwhile, human-created ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and AI are forcing profound changes upon people's lives and society at an unimaginable pace. As AI threatens to replace human roles, the question arises: how should people live?

Facing these diverse challenges, discovering alternatives that lead society toward the future, encouraging people to think, and choosing a better path—is this not our responsibility to the next generation as those living in the present? For a "society" where "people" can find meaning in life, the "Quality of Society" is being questioned right now.

Three Perspectives of the Quality of Society Survey

The Quality of Society Survey examined people's awareness and values regarding society from the following three perspectives.

1. Personal Perspective: Are people proactive and self-reliant in pursuing a better life? (Individual Proactivity/Autonomy)
2. Family/Community Perspective: Are people cooperating for a better society? (Social group coordination and mutual support)
3. Society Perspective: Are social institutions and systems functioning to support people's better lives? (Reliability and Resilience of Social Institutions)

Individual will and effort are crucial for building a society where people find meaning in life. However, since the power of each individual has its limits, it becomes an important perspective to examine whether people support each other and how much backup the social system can provide.

By capturing people's awareness from these three perspectives, we can clarify what challenges exist at each layer—individual, family/community, and society—and what potential solutions might be found.

That was a bit of a long explanation. Let's first look at the survey results. From the wide-ranging findings, this article will introduce one characteristic piece of data from each of the three perspectives above ( ) that symbolizes the current state of people's awareness.

[Social Perspective] Demand for Accuracy and Reliability of Information

The chart below aggregates responses regarding expectations for information sources and media. The top two items are: "I expect them to always provide accurate information" (84.6%) and "I expect them to provide trustworthy information" (78.9%).

Following these are: "I expect them to provide valuable information since I pay for it" (72.0%), "I expect them to convey societal problems and challenges" (72.0%), and "I expect them to provide information or inspiration for thinking about things" (71.2%) (figures represent the combined total of "Agree" and "Somewhat agree" responses).

*The percentages in the graph are calculated based on the actual number of respondents within each category and rounded. Similarly, the combined percentage of respondents is calculated based on the actual number of respondents in the combined categories and rounded. Therefore, the sum of the individual percentages may not always match the combined total.
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Faced with an unknown virus and significant societal changes, people require accurate and reliable information to think and make judgments for themselves. This can also be interpreted as reflecting concerns about the accuracy of the vast amount of information currently flooding society.

From mass media to individual social media posts, the range of information options available to people has greatly expanded. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst, and going forward, information media will be required to ensure not only diversity but also the quality of the information itself.

【Family & Community Perspective】Growing Positive Attitudes Toward Men's Participation in Childcare and Housework

Next, we compare survey results from 2019 and 2020 regarding acceptance of "new family structures."

Acceptance increased across all items in 2020 compared to 2019, with particularly notable gains in societal acceptance of men taking childcare leave and men being stay-at-home dads. Acceptance of "men taking childcare leave" rose to 78.8% (+6.5 points), while acceptance of "stay-at-home dads" reached 70.4% (+8.0 points) (combining "I think it's acceptable" and "I somewhat think it's acceptable"), both showing increases compared to 2019.

Amidst the spread of stay-at-home requests and remote work, an increase in men spending more time at home may have influenced this trend, showing signs of a rapid shift in attitudes regarding men's roles within the household.

[Individual Perspective] How COVID-19 Shaped People's Outlook on the Future

Finally, we present data related to the individual perspective. This survey asked about changes in people's behaviors and various life opportunities compared to one year prior (before the pandemic), as of November 2020.

Compared to one year ago, the following increased: "Time spent at home" 61.8%, "Thinking about my own future" 50.0%, "Thinking about society" 47.1% (combined "increased" and "slightly increased"). Conversely, decreases were observed in: "frequency of meeting people in person" (65.8%), "financial assets" (25.3%), and "children's educational opportunities" (24.7%) (combined responses of "decreased" and "slightly decreased").

While the pandemic had negative impacts on interpersonal relationships, household finances, and educational opportunities, it also seems to have provided people with an opportunity to think not only about their own futures but about society as a whole. Each individual thinking about society is the first step toward realizing a better, more autonomous society, without relying solely on government. Amidst Japan's many challenges, isn't this a glimmer of hope?

Exploring Pathways to Realize a "Society" Where People Find Meaning in Life

Comparing survey results from 2019 and 2020 revealed shifts in attitudes that can partly be attributed to the pandemic. However, these changes aren't entirely negative. Forced into significant lifestyle changes, people gained opportunities to reflect on themselves and society. They now desire a more accurate understanding of the world and are beginning to explore new societal models based on fresh values.

By overlaying perspectives from individuals, families/communities, and society, broader trends emerge regarding what challenges people perceive in society and what they seek for the future.

The data introduced in this article represents only a small portion of the Quality of Society Survey. In future installments, we will use data from individual, family/community, and societal perspectives to capture people's current state of consciousness in greater detail and explore pathways toward realizing a society where people can find meaning in life.

The theme for the next installment is: "Are people proactive and self-reliant in pursuit of a better life?"

Survey Overview
Title: "Quality of Society Survey"
Survey Period: First Survey: December 11-18, 2019; Second Survey: November 11-17, 2020
Survey Method: Internet survey

Target Area: Nationwide
Respondents: 12,000 men and women aged 18 to 74
Survey Company: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.
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