Photo from: picpedia.org

How is life in Japan?  To clarify this issue, we talked about Japan’s performances in OECD’s better life Index in income, education and employment last time. Today let’s look at the rest of the figures and find out the reasons behind them.

Photo from: businessmagzine.com

1.Housing conditions

A key statistic related to happiness is living condition.

Housing offers a place to sleep and rest where people feel safe and have privacy and personal space. Also housing costs take up a large share of the budget and represent the largest single expenditure for many individuals and families.

In Japan, households on average spend 22% of their gross adjusted disposable income on keeping a roof over their heads, above the OECD average of 20%.

Photo from: OECD library

2.Social network

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.

 In Japan, 89% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. This is possibly a result from the “pulling-character” and “passiveness” of Japan as we have talked before.

3. Living environment

The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Now urban air pollution has become a serious problem in many big cities.

In Japan, PM2.5 levels are 13.7 micrograms per cubic meter, slightly lower than the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the WHO.

Can we make a conclusion that Japan is a country of well-being?

Is well-being considered as a necessary condition of Pax Japonica?

For more details of our discussion please check the latest YouTube program below and share your comments with us!(13) Secret of Happy life in Japan ~ Money equals happiness? 　Session 12 – YouTube