Majority of Students Believe "Effort is Rewarded" Despite Anxiety About Japan's Future, Maintaining a Positive Attitude [University 3rd Year Future Outlook Survey]
This survey found that a majority of students believe in a society where "effort is rewarded." However, a majority also anticipate that Japanese society will worsen in 10 years, indicating that amidst future uncertainty, students wish to forge their own paths through personal effort.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 20:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 12:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 12:42 (96h 40m after Collected)
【TOPICS】
(1) Majority of students believe "effort is rewarded"
(2) Over half of students believe Japanese society will "worsen" in 10 years
(3) Amidst uncertainty about the future, voices express a desire to "find what they want to do and work hard"
【Background of the Survey】
With the early start of job hunting activities continuing, and amidst the confusion of social conditions, the environment surrounding students' career formation is undergoing significant changes. Many university students participate in internships and begin thinking about their future employment. At the 3rd-year stage, we asked about their values regarding the future. This survey aimed to capture the background of students' future anxieties by investigating their views on society and effort, specifically asking "Do you think effort is rewarded?" and "Outlook for Japanese society in 10 years."
【Summary】
In this survey, a majority of students responded that they believe "effort is rewarded in society." On the other hand, a majority also believe that Japanese society will "worsen" in 10 years, indicating a growing cautious outlook on the future of society. Even amidst uncertainty about the overall societal outlook, students appear to want to "carve out their future through their own choices and efforts." Free comments included anxieties such as "I don't know what kind of job to choose," alongside positive voices like "I want to find what I want to do and work hard."
【Free Comments from Survey Respondents】
"I'm more worried about how I will work in the future than about society's future."
"I don't know what kind of job to choose."
"It's not just about getting a job, but I can't see my career beyond that."
"Although there are many things I'm worried about and don't understand now, I feel I need to try my best because they are necessary for my future life."
"I want to find what I want to do quickly and work hard towards it."
(1) Majority of students believe "effort is rewarded"
To the question "Do you think this is a society where effort is rewarded?", a majority responded "I think so" or "I rather think so." Despite harboring uncertainty about the societal outlook, students show a consciousness of wanting to carve out their future through their own efforts and choices.
(2) "Employment/Career" is the most cited reason for anxiety, exceeding half
On the other hand, to the question "Do you think Japanese society will be better in 10 years than it is now?", a majority responded "I rather think it will worsen" or "I think it will worsen." This indicates that many students find it difficult to be optimistic about the future of society and hold a cautious view.
(3) Amidst uncertainty about the future, voices express "I want to find what I want to do and work hard"
In the free comments, against the backdrop of future uncertainty, voices were heard saying "I don't know what kind of job to choose," while at the same time, positive attitudes such as "I want to find what I want to do and work hard" were also confirmed. Even as cautious views on the societal outlook spread, students appear to be thinking about their careers starting from "What kind of work do I want to do?" and "What do I want to achieve?"
■ Survey Overview
・Survey Period: March 13, 2026 – April 6, 2026
・Survey Organization: Gakujo Inc.
・Survey Target: Visitors to the scout-type job site "Re-career Campus"
・Number of Valid Responses: 576 people
・Survey Method: Web-based questionnaire survey
*Numerical values for each item are rounded to the first decimal place after rounding the second decimal place, so the sum of mutually exclusive responses may not be 100.0%.
■ About Gakujo Inc.
Listed on the TSE Prime market and a member of Keidanren. Since 2004, the company has advocated for "year-round recruitment for the 20s." Centered around "Re-career," the "No. 1 job change site for 20s chosen by 20s for 7 consecutive years" (2019-2025, Tokyo Shoko Research survey, No. 1 in job change sites for 20s), "Re-career 30," a direct recruiting service for 30s, and "Re-career Campus," a scout-type job site with 600,000 members, we are a major employment and job change information company that comprehensively supports recruitment for people in their 20s and 30s.
We also held Japan's first "Joint Company Seminar" (self-researched) and operate "Tenmaku" and "Shushoku Hakku." In 2019, we launched "Japan Jobs," a service for the employment and recruitment support of foreign talent.
(1) Majority of students believe "effort is rewarded"
(2) Over half of students believe Japanese society will "worsen" in 10 years
(3) Amidst uncertainty about the future, voices express a desire to "find what they want to do and work hard"
【Background of the Survey】
With the early start of job hunting activities continuing, and amidst the confusion of social conditions, the environment surrounding students' career formation is undergoing significant changes. Many university students participate in internships and begin thinking about their future employment. At the 3rd-year stage, we asked about their values regarding the future. This survey aimed to capture the background of students' future anxieties by investigating their views on society and effort, specifically asking "Do you think effort is rewarded?" and "Outlook for Japanese society in 10 years."
【Summary】
In this survey, a majority of students responded that they believe "effort is rewarded in society." On the other hand, a majority also believe that Japanese society will "worsen" in 10 years, indicating a growing cautious outlook on the future of society. Even amidst uncertainty about the overall societal outlook, students appear to want to "carve out their future through their own choices and efforts." Free comments included anxieties such as "I don't know what kind of job to choose," alongside positive voices like "I want to find what I want to do and work hard."
【Free Comments from Survey Respondents】
"I'm more worried about how I will work in the future than about society's future."
"I don't know what kind of job to choose."
"It's not just about getting a job, but I can't see my career beyond that."
"Although there are many things I'm worried about and don't understand now, I feel I need to try my best because they are necessary for my future life."
"I want to find what I want to do quickly and work hard towards it."
(1) Majority of students believe "effort is rewarded"
To the question "Do you think this is a society where effort is rewarded?", a majority responded "I think so" or "I rather think so." Despite harboring uncertainty about the societal outlook, students show a consciousness of wanting to carve out their future through their own efforts and choices.
(2) "Employment/Career" is the most cited reason for anxiety, exceeding half
On the other hand, to the question "Do you think Japanese society will be better in 10 years than it is now?", a majority responded "I rather think it will worsen" or "I think it will worsen." This indicates that many students find it difficult to be optimistic about the future of society and hold a cautious view.
(3) Amidst uncertainty about the future, voices express "I want to find what I want to do and work hard"
In the free comments, against the backdrop of future uncertainty, voices were heard saying "I don't know what kind of job to choose," while at the same time, positive attitudes such as "I want to find what I want to do and work hard" were also confirmed. Even as cautious views on the societal outlook spread, students appear to be thinking about their careers starting from "What kind of work do I want to do?" and "What do I want to achieve?"
■ Survey Overview
・Survey Period: March 13, 2026 – April 6, 2026
・Survey Organization: Gakujo Inc.
・Survey Target: Visitors to the scout-type job site "Re-career Campus"
・Number of Valid Responses: 576 people
・Survey Method: Web-based questionnaire survey
*Numerical values for each item are rounded to the first decimal place after rounding the second decimal place, so the sum of mutually exclusive responses may not be 100.0%.
■ About Gakujo Inc.
Listed on the TSE Prime market and a member of Keidanren. Since 2004, the company has advocated for "year-round recruitment for the 20s." Centered around "Re-career," the "No. 1 job change site for 20s chosen by 20s for 7 consecutive years" (2019-2025, Tokyo Shoko Research survey, No. 1 in job change sites for 20s), "Re-career 30," a direct recruiting service for 30s, and "Re-career Campus," a scout-type job site with 600,000 members, we are a major employment and job change information company that comprehensively supports recruitment for people in their 20s and 30s.
We also held Japan's first "Joint Company Seminar" (self-researched) and operate "Tenmaku" and "Shushoku Hakku." In 2019, we launched "Japan Jobs," a service for the employment and recruitment support of foreign talent.