In light of the prolonged closure of schools across Japan due to the spread of the new coronavirus infections, a survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun shows 54% of the respondents approved and 34% opposed the start of the school year in September, which the government is considering by changing the current April start.
Respondents in 13 prefectures designated on special alert status, including Tokyo and Osaka, where measures against infectious diseases are focused, 59% supported and 32% opposed the idea.
In the other 34 prefectures, the average ratio was 47% for approval and 37% for disapproval. By region, 63% of respondents approved in the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo metropolitan areas, while the figure was 62% in the Kinki region, which includes Osaka. In other regions, the figure was between 40% and 50%. By city size, the proportion of approval tended to increase as the population size increased.
By age group, the younger the age, the greater the percentage of people who agreed. 61% of respondents aged 18 to 39, 57% of those aged 40 to 59 and 48% of those aged 60 or older agreed. Of those aged 70 or older, 40% were in favor and 37% opposed, with 23% not responding.
A total of 81% of the respondents said they feel concerns that the prolonged closure of schools will lead to a decline in the academic ability of students. By gender, 84% of women and 77% of men said they felt uneasy. By regions, Hokkaido and Tohoku topped the list with 88%, while the Kinki region was the lowest with 77%.
The survey was conducted from Friday to Sunday by telephone. The 1,132 respondents of voting age comprise 558 fixed-line phone users from 850 households confirmed to have at least one voter and 574 out of 1,193 cell phone users who answered their phone.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
