National Living Standards Survey: 59.6% "Struggling" - an 8% increase from last year

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

国民生活基礎調査 「苦しい」59.6％ 前年比8ポイント余増

2024年7月5日 17時25分

去年、厚生労働省が行った国民生活基礎調査で生活が「苦しい」と回答した世帯は前年から8ポイント余り増え、59.6％にのぼったことがわかりました。厚生労働省は「物価高の影響などで生活の苦しさが増している可能性がある」としています。

厚生労働省は毎年、国民生活基礎調査を行っていて、去年は所得の状況などについておよそ4700世帯から回答を得ました。

この中で生活状況について聞いたところ「大変苦しい」が26.5％、「やや苦しい」が33.1％で「苦しい」と回答した世帯は前年より8.3ポイント高い全体の59.6％にのぼりました。

このうち18歳未満の子どものいる世帯で「苦しい」と回答した世帯は前年より10.3ポイント高い65.0％となりました。

高齢者世帯で「苦しい」と回答した世帯は前年より10.7ポイント高い59.0％となり、統計を取り始めた1986年以降、最も高くなりました。

一方、全体では「普通」が35.8％、「ややゆとりがある」が3.9％、「大変ゆとりがある」が0.7％でした。

また、おととしの1世帯あたりの平均所得は、高齢世帯や独居世帯の増加などを背景に524万2000円と前年から3.9％減って、1987年以来の低さとなりました。

厚生労働省は「物価高や燃料費の高騰の影響などで生活の苦しさが増している可能性があり、今後の状況に注視していきたい」としています。

Translation

Last year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare conducted a National Living Standards Survey which showed that 59.6% of households responded that their living conditions were "struggling," up by 8% from the previous year. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said, "The impact of rising prices and other factors may be making life more difficult."

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare conducted a National Living Standards Survey every year, and last year received responses from approximately 4,700 households regarding their income situation.

When asked about their living conditions, 26.5% of households responded that their living conditions were "very difficult," while 33.1% responded that their living conditions were "slightly difficult." As a result, 59.6% of households responded that their living conditions were "struggling," up 8.3 points from the previous year.

In addition, 65.0% of households with children under the age of 18 responded that their living conditions were "struggling," up 10.3 points from the previous year.

The percentage of elderly households that responded that they were "struggling" was 59.0%, up 10.7 points from the previous year, the highest since statistics began being collected in 1986.

Meanwhile, overall living conditions, 35.8% were "so-so," 3.9% were "somewhat comfortable," and 0.7% were "very comfortable."

Also, due to an increase in elderly households and households living alone, the average income per household the year before last was 5,242,000 yen, down 3.9% from the previous year, the lowest since 1987.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare stated, "There is a possibility that living conditions are becoming more difficult due to the effects of rising prices and fuel costs, and we will continue to closely monitor the future situation."

              So, a survey has showed that almost 60 percent of households’ living conditions are "struggling" due to rising prices and fuel costs. I think the cheap yen could be a factor that causes a rising fuel cost in the country.