News in Easy English: Japanese least happy about living to 100

FUKUOKA — In Japan, a survey found that people were the least positive of six countries about living to be 100 years old and their happiness levels.

Before the United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20, a research institute called “100-nen seikatsusha kenkyujo” (research institute for centenarians, connected to ad agency Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc.) did a survey online. They asked 2,800 people in Japan and 2,840 people in the United States, China, South Korea, Germany, and Finland about how they felt about living for a century.

When asked if they wanted to live to 100, less than 30% of Japanese said yes. This was the lowest among the six countries. Japanese people also reported feeling less happy compared to others.

Most countries had similar negative opinions about living to 100, like thinking it would be hard or bother others. But Japan had fewer positive responses, like thinking people 100 years old or older looked happy. Japan also had more people worried about the future, like the economy.

A representative from the research institute said, “In other countries, people see some good things about living to 100. We need to show more of these good things to people in Japan.”

The International Day of Happiness started in Bhutan and was adopted by the United Nations in 2012. It’s about making happiness important for everyone in the world.

(Japanese original by Norihisa Ueda, Kyushu Business News Department)

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