You and Your Future

   Before we conducted this survey, we did not expect that both Korean and Japanese students were concerned about their future so much, although they had future dreams.  However, on the contrary, 90% of the Korean students were interested in their future and they had concrete dreams and had already decided what they were going to be after graduating from high school or university.  We think this kind of specific aim can motivate students to study harder to realize their future occupations.  The Korean students were even more attracted to the professions that are challenging and with high status. On the other hand, Japanese high school students have realistic dreams in general, and as is often the case with them, they are more likely to give up their dreams when they consider it is hard to realize them. 

   We were relieved to know that many of the high school students of South Korea and Japan looked forward to their future, although especially in Japan it is difficult for young people to get jobs under the current serious situation such as chronic depression and increasing unemployment.  

 by Kaori Kobayashi