More Japanese Found to Eat Alone

May 30, 2018

Tokyo- The proportion of people who eat daily meals alone at least four days a week in Japan grew to 15.3 pct of the total last year, up about five percentage points from six years before, the government said Tuesday.

The growth reflected an increase in the number of one-person households and those consisting only of couples, the government said in an annual white paper on dietary education.

The government compiled the report, based on a survey conducted between November and December 2017, covering 1,786 people aged 20 or over nationwide.

Of the respondents, 11.0 pct said they eat daily meals alone almost every day, followed by 4.3 pct who do so four or five days a week.

With multiple answers allowed, 35.5 pct of the respondents said they have no time or place to eat with others, followed by 31.1 pct who said they do not have peers to eat together and 27.3 pct who believe such a dietary habit works for them.

People who eat with others frequently are more likely to eat vegetables, fruit and other healthy foods, the white paper said, adding it is important to have opportunities to eat together with various people from their workplaces and regions. Jiji Press