Eat Your Kimchi

This week Simon and Martina ask why Japanese teens are so sad. A recent report shows that young people in Japan have the lowest mental wellbeing out of 20 major countries, with South Korea and Turkey the only countries rating lower. There are shifts in Japanese culture, where the youth don't want to be 'salary people,' they don't want to follow in their parent's (especially their father's) footsteps. Some kids, now, barely see their family because of the hours they spend on schoolwork, and the hours their parents spend working, and they want to change that. People with higher connections to family had a much higher happiness rating. The report shows that a lack of family connection in Japan and South Korea is affecting teens' happiness. Families prioritise financial wellbeing over emotional wellbeing. On the report, Japanese kids said their most important value in life was, "working hard and helping myself get on in life." More Japanese kids chose this answer than any other country, except for South Kore