Survey in Japan Seeks Solutions for Child Poverty

Significant Drop in Awareness of Child Poverty

Save the Children Japan conducted an online questionnaire about child poverty in July 2024. Said to be the largest survey in Japan, this is the first time since 2019 that it has been held. The respondents included 30,000 members of the general public aged 15 and over and approximately 2,400 people directly affected by child poverty aged 13 and over from tax-exempt households that had previously received support from the organization. Children were defined as those aged 17 and under.

When asked whether they were aware of child poverty in Japan, the percentage of respondents who answered “yes” fell for both children and adults compared to the results of the last survey five years ago. The number of respondents who answered “don’t know” also increased and approximately half of adults stated they had “not heard of it”.

The declining birthrate seems to have led to adults thinking less about children’s situation. This, along with a reduction in the amount of coverage related to child poverty, is thought to be behind the major decline in awareness.

What Measures Should Authorities Implement?

Twenty options were proposed in the survey as to “what measures the government and local authorities should implement.” The responses were analyzed split between children and adults in the general public and children and adults directly affected by child poverty.

While there was broad support from both sides to “make school expenses like uniforms, textbooks, and school lunches free of charge,” opinions greatly differed between the two groups on other proposed items.

Fewer than 30% of adults in the general public favored “enhancing the benefit system for single parents” and “enhancing the benefit system for parents with children,” whereas more than 70% of those actually affected thought these should be put into action.

There was also a striking difference in the opinions of children in the general public versus children actually affected when it came to “improving awareness and accessibility of the system among the people it is intended for” and “creating a way to reflect children’s views in measures.”

In particular, more than 70% of the people actually affected thought that “if they can use the system, it will help solve poverty.” This could be an indication that children directly affected are desperately struggling, “wanting to learn more about the system and make use of whatever they can.” On the other hand, it appears that children in the general public, who to a greater extent have their needs met and so do not have experience of poverty, are not likely to be interested in the existence of such a system in the first place.

So, what is needed to solve child poverty? Highlighted in this survey were the differing opinions between the general public and those directly affected as to what kind of support would be effective. Save the Children Japan stated that “it is essential that the opinions of the children and adults directly affected are reflected when considering and implementing political measures and systems. We would like to use the results of this survey to recommend better measures.”

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)