One in five Japanese university and graduate school students said they do not want children, with many citing financial concerns, a recent company survey showed.

The survey, conducted on students expected to graduate in 2025, showed that 19.2 percent said they do not wish to have children, a jump from 13.1 percent in last year's results, which covered students completing their studies in 2024, job website operator Mynavi Corp. said.

With the respondents representing a generation whose student life has been impacted by rising prices, "There is a possibility that economic concerns are impacting their views on life," a Mynavi official said.

The survey showed that more female respondents are not seeking to have children than their male counterparts, standing at 23.5 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively.

In a multiple-choice question asking their reasons why, the largest cohort at 57.4 percent cited "a lack of confidence about raising a child," followed by "concerns about losing personal time" at 51.5 percent and "economic worries" at 51.0 percent.

The survey came as the number of births in Japan hit a new record low of 799,728 in 2022, while the growing trend of people marrying later in life or not marrying at all could be contributing to the declining birthrate, according to the health ministry.

An accelerated fall in births "would lead to a decrease in workers and consumers, which in turn slows down the whole Japanese economy," said Koya Sakata, a researcher at NLI Research Institute.

The survey also showed students wanting to live in a dual-income household reached 70.0 percent, the highest figure since the poll began for students who were expected to graduate in 2016, reflecting an increased willingness to pursue a career and concerns about future earnings.

In a single-answer question asking their reasons why, the largest group at 14.8 percent said they could make a living on just one partner's income, followed by 12.5 percent who selected that it is natural for each partner to have a job of his or her own.

The online poll, which targeted university and graduate school students who are registered as Mynavi members, received valid responses from 1,538 women and 799 men between Nov. 28 and Dec. 25 last year.

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