Japan ranked sixth in children's overall happiness, but 21st in the category of material well-being, reflecting a high poverty rate, according to a survey of 31 economically advanced countries.
The United Nations Children's Fund and Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research released their child well-being study on Dec. 25.
Using 20 indicators to create five categories, their assessment examined material well-being, health and safety, education, behaviors and risks and housing and environment.
The key reason behind Japan's low rating in the material well-being category was the high percentage of children up to age 17, some 14.9 percent, who live below the poverty line.
The poverty line is calculated as 50 percent of the national median of disposable income. An income is calculated by taking the household income and adjusting for family size and composition.
The Netherlands topped the overall ranking for happiness, followed by the Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and then Japan.
Source: Asahi
