Government Survey Finds More Screen Time Means Lower Scores for Japanese Students

Less than 5% Have No Digital Device

Screen time is rising among Japanese children. According to a government survey, 21.7% of sixth-grade elementary school students and 28.5% of third-year junior high school students spend at least four hours each weekday using social media or watching videos. This heavy usage group has expanded over recent surveys, with a 50% rise for elementary and an 80% rise for junior high students, respectively, compared with 2024. The survey was conducted in April and May 2026 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT).

Students who do not have a digital device, such as a smartphone or tablet, accounted for 4.5% of elementary school students and 1.0% of junior high school students surveyed. Both figures declined from two years earlier, when they stood at 21.1% and 3.4%, respectively.

Effect on Academic Performance

The survey also found that more screen time correlates with lower academic performance. By comparing 2026 test scores with device usage, researchers showed that both elementary and junior high students who reported 4 hours or more of daily social media and video use scored 13.3 to 20.9 points lower on average than students whose use was under 30 minutes.

Data Sources

• Data from elementary school and junior high school student survey (Japanese) from the National Institute for Educational Policy Research, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Photo AC.)