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The number of single people has reached a record high. A survey in 2011 found that 61% of unmarried men and 49% of women aged 18-34 were not in any kind of romantic relationship, a rise of almost 10% from five years earlier. Another study found that a third of people under 30 had never dated at all. (There are no figures for same-sex relationships.) Although there has long been a pragmatic separation of love and sex in Japan – a country mostly free of religious morals – sex fares no better. A survey earlier this year by the Japan Family Planning Association (JFPA) found that 45% of women aged 16-24 "were not interested in or despised sexual contact". More than a quarter of men felt the same way.
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Mendokusai translates loosely as "Too troublesome" or "I can't be bothered". It's the word I hear both sexes use most often when they talk about their relationship phobia. Romantic commitment seems to represent burden and drudgery, from the exorbitant costs of buying property in Japan to the uncertain expectations of a spouse and in-laws. And the centuries-old belief that the purpose of marriage is to produce children endures. Japan's Institute of Population and Social Security reports an astonishing 90% of young women believe that staying single is "preferable to what they imagine marriage to be like".
I don't think we want to think too much about how Japan handles themselves in any way.
That's a very strange World over there. I don't have first hand experience of it, but I've met enough people to tell me some of the truly strange and odd events and other happenings that they partake in.
I don't think we want to think too much about how Japan handles themselves in any way.
That's a very strange World over there. I don't have first hand experience of it, but I've met enough people to tell me some of the truly strange and odd events and other happenings that they partake in.
I've lived there for a time and it is a cool place. The culture is truly the polar opposite to the US. I would much rather live there than here though. They also know that there is more to life than sex.
I personally don't get why we have to marry and have kids and set up white picket fences out of pressure, loneliness, and boredom.
A place where people in their 30s and 40s still hang out as single people and just keep casual relationships because haven't found anybody they truly, truly adore sounds preferable to me.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Cautionary tale my a^&. This is a glimpse into the future where religion goes by the wayside and more question the emotional utility of having relationships and families with the skyrocketing cost of living. If anything, I think it is a GOOD thing that the single stigma is disappearing in developed countries so people can deeply think about whether a romantic relationship or having a family would really add anything of substance to their lives other than bills.
These cultural ideals will accelerate the population decline in Japan. I think this will hurt Japan overall in the future unless the younger generations break this trend.
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