Loneliness Statistics Survey: Divorce, Separation, and Living Alone Linked to Increased Loneliness

survey of loneliness in Japan

I am summarizing government-released statistical information. If you would like more detailed information, please visit the government statistics portal (e-Stat) or refer to the statistical data published by various government ministries and agencies.

Percentage of People Feeling Loneliness Based on Marital Status

Unmarried Individuals:
Unmarried individuals have a relatively high “always” factor in their lives, scoring 12.5. They may feel a sense of stability and freedom, perhaps because they do not have the responsibilities or constraints of marriage. On the other hand, the “sometimes” factor is also high, at 49.6 points. This indicates that unmarried people can occasionally feel lonely or anxious while having free time.

Married Individuals:
Married individuals have a low “always” factor, scoring 4.9 points. Marriage brings stability and shared responsibilities but can sometimes limit personal freedom. However, the “sometimes” factor is 39.3 points, suggesting that married individuals do experience moments of support and empathy in their relationships.

Widowed Individuals:
Widowed individuals have a relatively low “always” factor, scoring 5.6 points. The experience of losing a spouse may lead to a decreased sense of stability. On the other hand, the “sometimes” factor is 35.0 points, indicating the importance of support and memories in their lives.

Divorced Individuals:
Divorced individuals score 11.8 points for the “always” factor, possibly due to changes brought about by divorce and the prospects of starting a new life. The “sometimes” factor is also 44.6 points, suggesting that they may feel both joy and anxiety through new encounters and the opportunity for a fresh start.

Please note that these findings provide insights into how marital status may influence feelings of loneliness and the variations within different life situations.

 10~12 points (always there)7~9 points (sometimes)4~6 points (almost)3 points (never)Answer
Full7.141.637.013.50.9
unmarried12.549.626.810.30.8
Married4.939.340.514.50.8
bereavement5.635.041.615.91.9
divorce11.844.632.111.00.5

Loneliness Scores Based on Marital Status

Unmarried Individuals: Unmarried individuals score 9.7% for the “always” factor, indicating that they might feel a relatively high level of freedom and stability in their lifestyle. On the other hand, the “sometimes” factor is also somewhat high, at 23.0%, suggesting that they occasionally experience feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

Married Individuals: Married individuals score 3.0% for the “always” factor, possibly indicating that they feel the responsibilities and constraints associated with marriage. However, the “sometimes” factor is somewhat lower at 12.4%, suggesting that they do experience moments of support and empathy in their marriage.

Widowed Individuals: Widowed individuals score 3.1% for the “always” factor, which may be influenced by the impact of their loss. On the other hand, the “sometimes” factor is somewhat higher at 17.7%, indicating that they have moments of joy through the support of those around them and cherished memories.

Divorced Individuals: Divorced individuals score 8.8% for the “always” factor, which is relatively high, suggesting that they may feel a sense of anticipation for a new life and self-discovery. The “sometimes” factor is somewhat higher at 21.8%, indicating that they experience both joy and anxiety through new encounters and opportunities for a fresh start.

These findings provide insights into how different marital statuses can affect individuals’ experiences of loneliness, with variations in feelings of “always” and “sometimes” loneliness among different groups.

 Often and alwaysSometimes there areSometimesHardly anyNeverAnswer
Full4.915.819.640.618.40.6
unmarried9.723.023.329.214.70.2
Married3.012.417.446.020.60.6
bereavement3.117.722.239.016.51.6
divorce8.821.824.830.913.40.3

Percentage Feeling Loneliness Based on Gender and Marital Status

Different factors are observed based on gender and marital status. Here’s the English translation of the information:

For Unmarried Individuals:

  • Between unmarried men and women, the “always” factor is similar, with 10.0% for men and 9.1% for women, suggesting a sense of freedom and stability in their lives.
  • The “sometimes” factor is slightly higher, at 22.0% for men and 24.1% for women, indicating that unmarried individuals can occasionally feel loneliness or anxiety.

For Married Individuals:

  • Among both married men and women, the “always” factor is low, at 2.9% for men and 3.0% for women, suggesting they may feel the responsibilities and constraints of marriage.
  • The “sometimes” factor is slightly lower, at 12.1% for men and 12.5% for women, implying that they experience moments of support and empathy due to marriage.

For Widowed Individuals:

  • Both widowed men and women have a low “always” factor, with 3.2% for men and 3.0% for women, indicating they may still feel the impact of their loss.
  • The “sometimes” factor is somewhat higher, at 23.4% for men and 16.6% for women, showing that they find moments of joy through the support of others and their memories.

For Divorced Individuals:

  • Divorced men and women have a somewhat higher “always” factor, with 10.7% for men and 7.7% for women, suggesting they may feel the prospect of a new life and self-discovery.
  • The “sometimes” factor is relatively higher, at 26.4% for men and 19.5% for women, indicating that they experience joy and anxiety through new encounters and opportunities for a fresh start.
 Often and alwaysSometimes there areSometimesHardly anyNeverAnswer
Male/Unmarried10.022.023.229.714.80.3
Male/Married2.912.116.447.020.80.7
Male/Widowed3.223.424.132.913.92.5
Male/Separated10.726.424.926.111.9
 Often and alwaysSometimes there areSometimesHardly anyNeverAnswer
Female/Unmarried9.124.123.328.714.70.1
Female/Married3.012.518.445.220.40.6
Female/Widowed3.016.621.940.217.11.2
Female/Separated7.719.524.533.913.90.4

The percentage of individuals with a loneliness score

The highest percentage of individuals with a loneliness score of “10-12 points (always)” varies based on gender and marital status, with the following findings:

  • Among men, the highest percentage in this category is observed among those who are “divorced” at 16.5%.
  • For women, the highest percentage in this category is among those who are “unmarried” at 11.5%.
 10~12 points (always there)7~9 points (sometimes)4~6 points (almost)3 points (never)Answer
Male/Unmarried13.251.224.310.30.9
Male/Married5.139.340.614.50.6
Male/Widowed8.939.234.215.81.9
Male/Separated16.547.125.710.7
 10~12 points (always there)7~9 points (sometimes)4~6 points (almost)3 points (never)Answer
Female/Unmarried11.548.229.210.40.7
Female/Married4.639.240.714.61.0
Female/Widowed4.834.143.316.01.8
Female/Separated9.143.235.611.20.8

Percentage of people who feel lonely by household composition

The percentage of people who answered “often or always” to experiencing loneliness is highest among “single-person households,” at 9.5%.

Loneliness Scores by Household Composition

The percentage of people with a loneliness score of “10-12 points (always)” is highest among “single-person households,” at 12.0%.

Age Group and Co-resident Status Loneliness Percentage

By Household Composition:

  • Single-person households exhibit a moderate level of the “always” element at 9.5%, potentially suggesting that they feel independence and satisfaction. However, the “sometimes” element is slightly higher at 22.1%, indicating that they occasionally feel loneliness or anxiety.
  • Single-generation households have a low “always” element at 3.3%, possibly indicating they are influenced by family or generational ties. The “sometimes” element is also slightly lower at 11.8%, suggesting that they have moments of support and empathy.
  • Two-generation households, whether parents and children or single parents and children, have low “always” elements (3.9% and 6.5%, respectively), but their “sometimes” elements are slightly higher (15.1% and 21.1%, respectively). This indicates that they experience the influence and support of family moments.
  • Three-generation households show a low “always” element at 3.8%, suggesting that they feel the impact of multiple generations. Their “sometimes” element is also slightly lower at 14.0%, indicating a sense of family bonds.
  • Other households exhibit a slightly lower “always” element at 5.2%, but their “sometimes” element is somewhat higher at 16.1%, suggesting that they experience moments of various influences.

By Age Group:

  • There are observed trends in loneliness by household composition within different age groups. Generally, the “always” element tends to be slightly lower for older individuals, while the “sometimes” element is somewhat higher for younger age groups.
 Often and alwaysSometimes there areSometimesHardly anyNeverAnswer
Single-person household9.522.125.130.412.01.0
One-generation households3.311.816.346.921.00.8
Two-generation households (parents and children)3.915.119.641.419.60.3
Two-generation households (single parents and children)6.521.122.134.515.50.4
Three-generation household3.814.018.141.522.30.2
Other households5.216.119.640.717.90.6
16~19 years old / Single household21.121.15.321.131.6
16~19 years old / <> generation household40.020.020.020.0
16~19 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)3.815.915.935.628.8
16~19 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)5.923.517.623.529.4
16~19 years old / <> generation household2.318.218.236.425.0
16~19 years old/other households23.17.738.530.8
20~29 years old / Single household7.716.827.333.614.5
20~29 years old / <> generation household6.614.816.435.227.0
20~29 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)5.121.219.230.823.7
20~29 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)11.829.417.623.517.6
20~29 years old / <> generation household11.920.221.427.419.0
20~29 years old/other households5.020.020.032.522.5
30~39 years old / Single household15.628.124.123.68.5
30~39 years old / <> generation household5.515.915.937.724.50.5
30~39 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)4.016.320.338.820.6
30~39 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)13.827.717.028.712.8
30~39 years old / <> generation household7.716.915.430.829.2
30~39 years old/other households9.122.715.936.415.9
40~49 years old / Single household11.026.928.024.29.9
40~49 years old / <> generation household6.515.916.346.114.70.4
40~49 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)3.815.320.341.319.20.1
40~49 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)10.926.423.624.114.9
40~49 years old / <> generation household5.416.320.938.019.4
40~49 years old/other households7.411.114.844.422.2
50~59 years old / Single household12.826.426.424.59.8
50~59 years old / <> generation household4.615.018.043.918.5
50~59 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)4.915.921.840.516.50.3
50~59 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)7.821.726.132.611.7
50~59 years old / <> generation household2.711.522.145.118.6
50~59 years old/other households6.815.526.239.810.71.0
60~69 years old / Single household8.721.725.932.510.50.7
60~69 years old / <> generation household2.711.317.648.619.60.1
60~69 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)2.410.920.247.718.50.2
60~69 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)4.617.823.441.612.7
60~69 years old / <> generation household0.814.313.443.727.7
60~69 years old/other households6.618.219.036.419.8
70~79 years old / Single household7.319.024.632.814.61.7
70~79 years old / <> generation household1.78.614.350.423.11.9
70~79 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)2.89.416.252.118.50.9
70~79 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)1.313.922.841.119.01.9
70~79 years old / <> generation household1.86.618.751.820.50.6
70~79 years old/other households1.113.521.348.315.7
Over 80 years old / Single-person household4.619.221.938.112.73.5
Over 80 years old / one-generation household1.810.916.748.121.31.3
Over 80 years old / Two-generation household (parents and children)2.014.814.148.316.84.0
80 years old or older/Two-generation household (single parent and child)0.717.217.944.119.30.7
Over 80 years old / Three-generation household1.117.413.043.523.91.1
Over 80 years old / Other households1.812.315.845.621.13.5

The loneliness score by age group and the presence or absence of cohabitants

The percentage of people with a loneliness score of “10-12 points (always)” differs based on co-resident status. It’s 6.3% for those with co-residents and 11.7% for those without.

When examining age groups and co-resident status, the age group with the highest percentage of individuals scoring “10-12 points (always)” on the loneliness scale is the “30s with no co-residents,” reaching 17.3%. Conversely, the lowest percentage can be observed among the “80 and older with co-residents,” at 3.1%.

 10~12 points (always there)7~9 points (sometimes)4~6 points (almost)3 points (never)Answer
Single-person household12.045.330.910.51.3
One-generation households4.937.640.815.90.8
Two-generation households (parents and children)6.443.836.912.20.8
Two-generation households (single parents and children)10.442.333.313.30.8
Three-generation household5.038.240.016.30.5
Other households6.042.836.514.00.8
16~19 years old / Single household15.831.621.131.6
16~19 years old / <> generation household40.040.020.0
16~19 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)4.337.537.520.20.5
16~19 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)5.955.917.620.6
16~19 years old / <> generation household4.538.636.420.5
16~19 years old/other households46.230.823.1
20~29 years old / Single household8.245.938.27.7
20~29 years old / <> generation household8.238.538.514.8
20~29 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)10.244.630.514.40.3
20~29 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)19.139.726.514.7
20~29 years old / <> generation household13.138.134.514.3
20~29 years old/other households5.035.042.517.5
30~39 years old / Single household17.155.821.65.5
30~39 years old / <> generation household8.244.133.613.20.9
30~39 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)7.347.733.311.40.3
30~39 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)14.950.019.113.82.1
30~39 years old / <> generation household7.746.230.815.4
30~39 years old/other households13.647.729.59.1
40~49 years old / Single household17.055.520.37.1
40~49 years old / <> generation household7.843.338.410.6
40~49 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)6.147.933.412.00.6
40~49 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)18.446.625.99.2
40~49 years old / <> generation household3.951.927.117.1
40~49 years old/other households9.344.422.224.1
50~59 years old / Single household15.550.224.98.70.8
50~59 years old / <> generation household7.443.532.416.7
50~59 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)7.046.235.211.10.5
50~59 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)10.448.330.010.90.4
50~59 years old / <> generation household3.538.945.112.4
50~59 years old/other households6.850.536.95.8
60~69 years old / Single household13.344.833.28.40.3
60~69 years old / <> generation household3.937.942.815.30.1
60~69 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)2.938.048.79.70.7
60~69 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)8.138.138.614.70.5
60~69 years old / <> generation household3.434.543.718.5
60~69 years old/other households5.842.138.013.20.8
70~79 years old / Single household8.740.334.214.62.2
70~79 years old / <> generation household3.132.444.818.01.7
70~79 years old / <> generation household (parents and children)6.036.544.412.30.9
70~79 years old / Two-generation household (single parent and child)5.133.542.417.11.9
70~79 years old / <> generation household5.425.950.617.50.6
70~79 years old/other households3.437.140.418.01.1
Over 80 years old / Single-person household7.333.139.215.84.6
Over 80 years old / one-generation household2.835.943.515.91.8
Over 80 years old / Two-generation household (parents and children)5.430.246.312.16.0
80 years old or older/Two-generation household (single parent and child)3.435.946.213.11.4
Over 80 years old / Three-generation household1.139.141.315.23.3
Over 80 years old / Other households1.838.642.114.03.5

Percentage of Individuals Feeling Loneliness by Gender and Living Arrangement


By Living Arrangement:

When living with others, the percentage of individuals feeling “always” lonely is relatively low at 4.1%. However, the percentage for “sometimes” lonely is somewhat higher at 14.6%, indicating moments of shared experiences and solidarity with those they live with. Additionally, the percentage for “occasionally” lonely is slightly higher at 18.6%, suggesting sporadic moments of events or feelings.

In cases where individuals live alone, the percentage of those feeling “always” lonely is somewhat higher at 9.2%, possibly indicating the potential for independence within their living space. The percentage for “sometimes” lonely is comparatively higher at 22.5%, suggesting that those who live alone may experience loneliness and the absence of shared living experiences.

By Gender:

For males, there is an observed difference in the percentages of those who feel “always” and “sometimes” lonely depending on their living arrangements. Males living with others report a low percentage of “always” lonely at 3.9% and a percentage of “sometimes” lonely at 14.0%. In contrast, males living alone report a higher percentage of “always” lonely at 11.9% and a percentage of “sometimes” lonely at 25.1%, indicating a greater propensity for loneliness in those living alone.

The pattern is similar for females. Females living with others have a low percentage of “always” lonely at 4.1% and “sometimes” lonely at 15.0%. Females living alone report a higher percentage of “always” lonely at 7.0% and a percentage of “sometimes” lonely at 20.2%, suggesting that females living alone are more likely to experience loneliness and the absence of shared living experiences.

 Often and alwaysSometimes there areSometimesHardly anyNeverAnswer
Have a housemate4.114.618.642.419.80.5
No roommates9.222.525.231.011.30.9
Male/housemate3.914.017.943.720.00.6
Male/no housemate11.925.124.027.111.20.8
Have a woman/housemate4.115.019.241.519.70.5
No female/housemates7.020.226.134.311.50.9
 10~12 points (always there)7~9 points (sometimes)4~6 points (almost)3 points (never)Answer
Have a housemate6.340.838.114.10.8
No roommates11.745.831.110.01.3
Male/housemate6.341.137.814.10.6
Male/no housemate16.151.123.28.61.0
Have a woman/housemate6.040.538.414.20.9
No female/housemates8.141.637.611.21.5

Latest posts

Latest posts

  • Comparison of Effective Methods and Marketing Strategies for Customer Acquisition

    Comparison of Effective Methods and Marketing Strategies for Customer Acquisition

    “This Article is Also Recommended: Understanding All About Marketing Strategies! Explaining Strategies and Techniques from Basics” 1.The Importance of Customer Acquisition Customer acquisition is one of the most crucial elements in business. It involves gaining new customers, retaining existing ones, and supporting the growth and success of a business. As the business environment continually evolves…

  • Blue Ocean Strategy: Understanding its Meaning from Successful Case Studies and its Significance in Corporations

    Blue Ocean Strategy: Understanding its Meaning from Successful Case Studies and its Significance in Corporations

    Recommended Article: Understanding All About Marketing Strategies! Explaining Strategies and Techniques from the Basics 1.Overview of Blue Ocean Strategy and Red Ocean Strategy The Blue Ocean Strategy and the Red Ocean Strategy are key concepts in the realm of competitive strategy. The Blue Ocean Strategy aims to create new markets or industries, focusing on market…

  • The importance and success cases of the long-tail strategy in business.

    The importance and success cases of the long-tail strategy in business.

    Also Recommended: Understanding Everything about Marketing Strategy! Explaining Strategies and Techniques from the Basics. The Importance of Long Tail Strategy in Business What is the Long Tail Strategy? The Long Tail strategy is a business approach primarily used in online sales and marketing. It involves segmenting the market not as one large block but as…

,


marketaleロゴ

MarkeTALEはマーケティングに関する情報メディアです。有志の現役マーケターによって運営しています。皆さんの助けに少しでもなれば幸いです。

この記事の執筆者:MarkeTALE編集部

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *