Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Single culture in Japan - statistic & facts
On the mountainous Japanese archipelago, space is limited. In order to coexist in harmony, group-oriented thinking is key. Hence, Japanese society emphasizes collectivity over individuality, fitting in over standing out. But the country’s demographics are changing, as is the attitude towards those affected by the change. Declining marriage and birth rates, long life expectancies, and therefore, an aging population fueled the emergence of a solo society. Amid this shift, businesses discovered a new, affluent clientele: the single consumer, dubbed the ohitorisama movement in Japanese.
