Young people are cutting back on living expenses, reducing spending on socializing and opportunities to dine with friends. High prices and stagnant wages are creating loneliness, while the decline in marriage and the growing obstacles of marriage funds and housing are becoming increasingly serious. This report examines the situation based on the latest statistics and expert views.
There has been a marked trend toward cutting back on living expenses. Among single-person households of workers aged 34 and under, social spending as a share of income fell from 2.2% in 2019 to 1.3% in 2025. By contrast, the figure for those aged 35–59 rose from 2.1% to 2.6%, highlighting the extent to which younger people are cutting back on socializing.
Amid rising prices and prolonged inflation, the trend of limiting opportunities to dine with friends and acquaintances has been described as “friendflation.” One woman in her 30s expressed the view that, “If I’m going to pay ¥6,000 for drinks with friends, I’d rather have a delicious meal by myself.” Financial hardship among young people is said to make loneliness more likely and contribute to social instability.
In a Cabinet Office nationwide survey, the proportion of unmarried people aged 20–29 who reported feeling lonely “often” or “always” was the highest of any age group, at 7.4%. In the 2025 National Survey on Social Security and Population Problems, 24.5% of unmarried men aged 18–34 and 21.5% of unmarried women said they had “no intention of ever marrying.” Marriage funds and housing were frequently cited as obstacles.
These circumstances are rooted in low wages and financial hardship. Among unmarried people, “marriage funds” were cited as an obstacle to marriage by 34.5% of men and 31.4% of women, followed by “housing,” which was also cited at a high rate. The rise in loneliness and social isolation could also affect the future of society, it has been pointed out.