17th Japanese National Fertility Survey: Summary of Results (Published on September 11, 2026)

Summary of Results

Single Person Married Couple

【Survey of Single Adults】　～Attitudes Toward Marriage and Childbearing～

• The proportion of unmarried individuals age 18-34 who “intend to eventually marry” fell below 80% (men: 75.1% vs. 81.4% previously; women: 77.8% vs. 84.3% previously). Over 20% of unmarried men and women “do not intend to ever marry,” although about 40% they could change to “intend to eventually marry.”
• The proportion of respondents who view marriage as advantageous declined from the 60% to 50% range for men, and from the 70% to 60% range for women. While reasons for marriage such as “having children and a family,” “emotional peace of mind,” and “financial stability” decreased, the appeal of “living with someone I love” increased.
• Among the reasons for remaining single despite an intention to marry, there was a slight increase for “wanting to enjoy hobbies and leisure activities” among those age 24 and under. Among those age 25 and older, “not finding a suitable partner” was the most common reason given, though it declined from the previous survey. However, the number of people who do not intend to marry at all increased during this period. The number of people who “do not intend to ever marry” grew.
• The proportion of respondents with a romantic partner decreased slightly to 19.6% for men and was 27.8% for women. One in three unmarried individuals do not want to be in a relationship.
• Nearly 40% of both men and women chose “a balance of work and child-rearing” as the ideal female life course.
• The number of desired children continues to decline (men: 1.64 vs. 1.83 previously; women: 1.70 vs. 1.79 previously). One in six unmarried individuals do not want children even if they marry. Support for the view that "one should have children after marriage" also declined.
• “Having children makes life enjoyable and is emotionally enriching” was the most common reason cited for desiring children, though it decreased from the previous survey (men: 41.9%, previously 46.8%; women: 45.1%, previously 50.9%).
• Regarding unmarried individual lifestyles, there was an increase in those who feel they “have little money to buy things [they] want” and those who “do not feel lonely living alone.”
• Experience interacting with infants and young children is declining. Those with less experience tend to show a lower interest in marriage and desire fewer children.

【Survey of Married Couples】　～Marriage, Childbearing, and Parenting Conditions～

• Married couples who met at work or through friends decreased, while couples who met online, including through dating apps, now account for 20% of the total (20.2%; previously 11.0%).
• For couples married 15-19 years, the average number of children born was 1.86 (previously 1.90), with approximately 10% having no children at all. The proportion of mothers with one child who go on to have a second is declining and one in three couples had fewer children than originally planned at the time of marriage.
• For couples, the ideal number of children was 2.18 (previously 2.25), and the planned number was 1.95 (previously 2.01), marking the first time the latter has fallen below the threshold of two children. There was an increase in couples planning to have only one child.
• There was an increase in respondents citing “the cost of raising children” and “the psychological and physical burden of child-rearing” as reasons for not having the ideal number of children.
• The proportion of couples who have undergone infertility testing or treatment remained unchanged at 22.8% (1 in 4.4 couples).
• The proportion of continued employment around when their first child reached age one rose to 80.5% for wives who gave birth between 2020 and 2024 (up from 69.9% for the 2015-2019 period). Among wives who remained employed, 82.4% utilized the childcare leave system (compared to 79.7% five years prior), with an increase in the percentage of those who used it for first- and second-born children. For children born in 2020 or later, the proportion of husbands involved in daily child-rearing exceeded 50%.