People watch the 2026 World Cup match between Japan and Brazil on their phones on a street in Shibuya, Tokyo, on June 30. [Reuters]
People watch the 2026 World Cup match between Japan and Brazil on their phones on a street in Shibuya, Tokyo, on June 30. [Reuters]

Japan is undergoing a broad "downsizing" across physical stature, social relationships, consumption habits and living spaces, analysts say, as prolonged low growth and a shrinking population reshape lifestyles and values throughout the country.

The Nikkei recently ran a series on "a more compact Japan," reporting that Japanese society is shifting toward choosing "less, smaller and closer." The trend, the paper said, is not a passing fad but the cumulative result of the long economic stagnation known as the "Lost 30 Years" following the collapse of the bubble economy in the early 1990s, compounded by population decline and a generational shift in values.

Physical stature is one of the most visible signs of the change. According to data from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average height of men in their 20s and 30s has stalled in the low 170-centimeter range, and the average height of 18-year-olds has long since been surpassed by South Korea, where the figure stands at 175 centimeters. Japanese body size grew consistently for more than a century after the Meiji era, driven by improvements in nutrition and economic expansion, but the upward trend stalled among those born in the 1970s and 1980s.

Dietary habits are also changing. The average daily caloric intake of Japanese people has been declining steadily, and Japan ranks among the countries with the slimmest populations in the world. Experts have raised the possibility that genetic factors and dietary shifts are acting in combination, but no clear cause for the change in physique has yet been identified.

Social circles are narrowing as well. A survey by the Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living found that the share of respondents who agreed that "the more friends, the better" fell from 31.9 percent in 1994 to 10.3 percent last year — less than a third of the earlier figure. The proportion who said they feel most comfortable with same-sex friends, rather than with romantic partners, more than doubled over the same period.

The shift signals a clear move toward prioritizing same-sex friendships over romantic relationships. Among younger people, more now say they turn to their mothers — rather than workplace supervisors or sunbae — when seeking advice. The Nikkei said the data reflect "a stronger preference for stability, with people focusing on the personal relationships closest to their daily lives rather than on political or social issues."

Consumption and housing culture are also simplifying. Consumers are increasingly relying on AI recommendations rather than comparing a wide range of products themselves. A new trend dubbed "choice-free consumption" — deliberately narrowing options to reduce the burden of decision-making altogether — has also emerged.

In city centers, rising land prices are fueling the spread of micro-apartments and compact housing, while the restaurant industry is seeing a wave of venues designed to maximize efficiency in small spaces. The phenomenon has even spawned a buzzword: "space performance," or "spefa" for short, referring to how effectively a space is used.

The Nikkei argued that rather than trying to return to past growth models, "it is important for Japanese society to acknowledge the social structures and values of younger generations that have already changed." The paper concluded that the "downsizing" playing out across physique, consumption, relationships and housing is not simply a lifestyle shift but is becoming the new standard for Japan in an era of low growth.


bbo@heraldcorp.com