Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds – Expo, Water Release, Illegal Activities Results of 59th installment announced – Close to 70% ‘Approve’ of Osaka Expo, half of women say explanation of treated water release ‘Insufficient’

The 59th installment of the Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds, launched by The Nippon Foundation in October 2018, was carried out on October 30 and 31 to gauge young people’s views on the Osaka Expo to be held in 2025 and Japan’s release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and also asked about their personal experiences with illegal drugs and other activities, a subject that has recently been highlighted with the arrest of a university student on drug-related charges.

The survey found that, of 1,000 young people aged 17 to 19, close to 70% of respondents “Approve” of the holding of the Osaka Expo scheduled to be held in 2025, with more than half of those respondents citing its “Economic effect” and being an “Opportunity to disseminate Japan and Japanese culture.” With regard to the release of treated wastewater, although close to 60% of all respondents “Approved” of the release, roughly 40% also said the government’s explanation was “Insufficient” and half of female respondents said that the government’s explanation and dissemination of information internationally was “Insufficient.”

On the topic of illegal drugs, while close to 80% of respondents replied that they “Have never sensed being around drugs,” 7.3% replied that they “Know someone who uses or possesses drugs” or “Know someone who knows someone who has possessed drugs.” When asked about “dark” part-time jobs involving scams or robberies with participants solicited through social media, 5.9% replied that they “Have seen people who appear to have been recruiting” for those jobs, indicating that young people sense these things nearby in their daily lives.

Highlights of the 59th Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds – Expo, Water Release, Illegal Activities

• Approval of holding Osaka Expo in 2025:
  • Approve – 68.1%
  • Disapprove – 6.6%
    • *“Approve” is the total of “Approve” and “Somewhat approve”
    • *“Disapprove” is the total of “Disapprove” and “Somewhat disapprove”
• Release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant:
  • Approve – 58.5%
  • Disapprove – 17.0%
    • *“Approve” is the total of “Approve” and “Somewhat approve”
    • *“Disapprove” is the total of “Disapprove” and “Somewhat disapprove”

Survey Excerpts

About the Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds

Revisions to Japan’s Civil Code lowering the age of adulthood to 18 for a range of activities, including voting, took effect in April 2022, making it even more important to understand and record the awareness of the 18-year-olds who represent Japan’s next generation. With this in mind, in October 2018 The Nippon Foundation launched the Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds as an ongoing survey of young men and women across Japan aged around 18, to survey their values, attitudes toward politics and elections, understanding of social issues, and other current themes on an ongoing basis.

Notes:

1. From the 13th survey, the number of respondents, comprising men and women aged 17 to 19, has been increased to 1,000 from 800.
2. With the exception of the 20th and 46th installments, “Awareness Survey of Society and Country,” all surveys cover respondents in Japan only.