Japan's Teenagers Face Declining Romantic Milestones Amid Pandemic Challenges

A survey conducted by the Japan Association for Sex Education shows that 80% of Japanese teenage boys aged 15-18 have not had their first kiss, while only 25% of girls have reached the same milestone. This reduction is attributed to the impacts of the Covid pandemic, with teenage sexual interactions declining, further fueling concern over Japan's low birth rate crisis.

Recent findings show that romantic milestones among Japanese teenagers are plummeting, with a staggering four out of five boys aged 15 to 18 reporting they have yet to experience their first kiss. The survey conducted by the Japan Association for Sex Education (JASE) revealed that only 25% of high school girls have kissed, suggesting troubling trends in adolescent sexual expression in the country. Since the first data collection in 1974, these figures represent the lowest incidence of teenage intimacy recorded, igniting concerns amidst Japan's ongoing birth rate crisis.

The study spanned over 12,500 students from junior highs, high schools, and universities, addressing various degrees of sexual experience. Since 2005, the rate of first kisses has witnessed a steady decline from 50% to current levels, paralleling a downturn in sexual activity. Particularly alarming was the drop in self-reported sexual intercourse, where only 12% of high school boys and 14.8% of girls claimed to have had such experiences.

Experts attribute this decline to the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought school closures and restrictions that negatively impacted adolescents during a critical developmental stage for sexual exploration. According to Yusuke Hayashi, a sociology professor at Musashi University, these changes disrupted the natural progression of relationships during formative years.

Interestingly, while the study reflected a decline in intimate engagements, it also noted an increase in teenagers reporting masturbation, indicating a shift in sexual behavior without interpersonal exchange. The findings arrive alongside reports indicating that nearly half of marriages in Japan are devoid of sexual relations, further complicating the demographic landscape.

The context of these findings underscores the nation’s struggle with its declining birth rates, a subject of dire national concern. In 2023, then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida alerted the public to the severe implications of low birth rates, warning that Japan's population of 125 million could drop to less than 53 million by the century's end if trends persist. Challenges such as elevated living costs, women's increased participation in the workforce, and ready access to contraception complicate the childbearing narrative.

Japan is already grappling with an aging demographic, highlighted by 10% of its population now aged 80 or older. Moreover, in a landmark shift, Oji Holdings announced it would pivot from producing baby diapers to focus solely on adult products—an emblematic reflection of the country's stark demographic realities.