Most Japanese teens struggling with school find end of summer ‘painful’

Nearly three-quarters of Japanese teenagers who struggle with school life say the start of a new term after summer break feels painful, according to a recent survey released by Yokohama-based nonprofit Daisan Kazoku.

The online poll was conducted from July 30 to Aug. 11 among 216 respondents between the ages of 10 and 18 who had previously described themselves as struggling with school life. When asked about the new semester, 73.1% described it as “painful.” Another 14.4% called it “boring,” and only 1.9% of respondents said they were actively looking forward to it.

The top reasons teens cited for feeling burdened at school included a fear of being judged by others (79.6%) and a stifling atmosphere (71.3%). A total of 45.4% said they had no friends and 44.0% said they couldn’t keep up with classes.