By KEIBU HORIKAWA/ Staff Writer
October 17, 2022 at 08:00 JST
The Fukui prefectural government office (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
FUKUI--For the fifth time running, Fukui Prefecture ranked No. 1 on an overall happiness index among the nation’s 47 prefectures.
“We have been forging ahead with policies in child-rearing, education and other fields, and these approaches apparently came to fruition,” Fukui Governor Tatsuji Sugimoto said in reference to the latest ranking. “But first and foremost, the outcome is a result of prefectural residents’ daily efforts.”
The ranking was released by the Japan Research Institute, a private think tank, on Sept. 28. The think tank publishes the ranking every two years.
Fukui Prefecture had topped the nationwide ranking based on the total of scores in a range of categories in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Residents’ per capita income, voter turnout and other basic elements, along with factors involving health, culture, work, livelihood and education, are taken into account to make the list. Additional barometers are added each time the biennial survey is conducted.
Fukui Prefecture ranked at the top in the two categories of work and education in six consecutive rounds.
The prefecture apparently gained recognition because “employment is extremely stable for young people, women and others,” said a prefectural official, noting that “Fukui offers an educational environment for children to grow up healthily while many opportunities are provided for full-time workers to continue learning.”
The prefecture rose to 11th place from 14th in the previous study in the health division, but dropped to 41st place from 38th in the culture category. The prefecture placed fourth in the livelihood category for the second time running.
Sugimoto cautioned that the findings should not be taken too seriously.
“There are various evaluation scales other than this ranking,” he said. “Not rejoicing nor worrying about the results of each survey so much, we will fully devote ourselves to pushing ahead with policies aimed at realizing the happiest child-rearing environment in Japan and creating a place where each prefectural resident can fulfill their potential.”
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