According to the Cultural Affairs Agency, over 60% of respondents in a recent survey stated that they do not read any books in a month. The survey, conducted for fiscal year 2023, also revealed that a record-breaking 69.1% of participants reported reading fewer books than they used to. The agency speculates that the rise in smartphone and social media usage may be contributing to this decline in reading habits.
The survey was carried out through mail from January to March and targeted individuals aged 16 or older. Out of the 6,000 people surveyed, a total of 3,559 responded, representing a response rate of 59.3%. Questions about reading habits have been included in this survey every five years since fiscal year 2008.
When excluding manga and magazines from consideration, respondents were asked how many books they read per month in either paper or electronic form. Surprisingly, 62.6% admitted to not reading any books at all—a significant increase of 15.3 percentage points compared to the previous survey conducted in person during fiscal year 2018.
While it is difficult to make direct comparisons due to differences in methodology between surveys, this year’s result marks the highest percentage since the inception of the study.
For the first time ever, individuals who reported not reading any books were asked about their frequency of reading other types of texts such as social media posts and internet articles. A staggering majority (75.3%) claimed to read these types of texts “almost daily.”
Among all respondents surveyed, only 36.9% stated that they do read at least one book per month—a decrease by 15.7 percentage points compared to the previous survey results. Of those who did read books regularly each month:
-27.6% reported reading between one and two books
-6% claimed three or four book readings
-And only a small fraction (3/3%) managed five or more book readings
When asked why they are reading fewer books now compared with before—with multiple answers allowed—43.% cited spending more time on devices like smartphones and tablets as their primary reason for reduced book consumption—an alarming triple increase since fiscal year2008.
An official from the agency emphasized that while online text content tends to be short and easy-to-read on platforms like social media and websites; it is crucial for individuals’ logical thinking development that they engage with substantial amounts of text found within traditional printed materials such as books.
