Nearly half of Japanese people are entering their 30s without any sexual experience, according to new research.
The country is facing a steep population decline as a growing number of youngsters abstain from sex and avoid romantic relationships.
Some men claimed they "find women scary" as a poll found that 43 per cent of people aged 18 to 34 from the island nation say they are virgins.
Show off to your date at Japanese theme park by beating up bad guys
One woman, when asked why they think 64 per cent of people in the same age group are not in relationships, said she thought men "cannot be bothered" to ask the opposite sex on dates because it was easier to watch internet porn.
The number of births dropped below one million in Japan for the first time last year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research predicts that the country's current population of 127 million will decline by nearly 40 million by 2065.
The fertility crisis has left politicians scratching their heads as to why youngsters are not having more sex.
Comedian Ano Matsui, 26, told the BBC: "I don't have self-confidence. I was never popular among the girls.
"Once I asked a girl out but she said no. That traumatised me.
Comedian Ano Matsui says he was "was never popular among the girls" (BBC)
"There are a lot of men like me who find women scary.
"We are afraid of being rejected. So we spend time doing hobbies like animation.
"I hate myself, but there is nothing I can do about it."
Annual 'Steel Phallus' festival in Japan celebrates the penis
Artist Megumi Igarashi, 45, who once made a 3D image of her own vagina, said "building a relationship is not easy".
"A boy has to start from asking a girl on a date," she told the BBC.
"I think a lot of men just cannot be bothered.
"They can watch porn on the internet and get sexual satisfaction that way."
15 show all Inside Japan's annual 'penis festival'
1/15 There's a serious side to the festival too Selena Hoy
2/15 But it has solid historical and religious roots Selena Hoy
3/15 Today, the festival includes a cross-dressing group carrying this giant pink penis Selena Hoy
4/15 The festival is LGBT-friendly Selena Hoy
5/15 The festival's now become part of Japan's 'wacky' identity Selena Hoy
6/15 Phallic imagery abounds in Shinto Selena Hoy
7/15 Everything is penis-related on the day of the festival Selena Hoy
8/15 The Elizabeth Kaikan group carry the pink penis Selena Hoy
9/15 Thousands of people attend the festival Selena Hoy
10/15 The Elizabeth Kaikan group carry the pink penis Selena Hoy
11/15 The Shinto religion focuses on fertility Selena Hoy
12/15 There's every kind of food in phallic shape Selena Hoy
13/15 The serious part of the procession Selena Hoy
14/15 There are plenty of souvenirs for sale Selena Hoy
15/15 Participants can wear anything from loincloths to full uniforms Selena Hoy
The shrinking of the country’s population – deaths have outpaced births for several years – has been called a "demographic time bomb" and is already affecting the job and housing markets, consumer spending and long-term investment plans at businesses.
Other countries including the US, China, Denmark and Singapore have low fertility rates, but Japan's is thought to be the worst.
A nationwide survey earlier this year revealed that nearly a quarter of Japanese men at the age of 50 are yet to marry.
The report, from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, also found one in seven Japanese women aged 50 were yet to be married.
Both figures were the highest since the census began in 1920, and represent a raise of 3.2 per cent among men and 3.4 per cent among women from the previous survey in 2010.
The growing trend was attributed to less social pressure to marry as well as financial worries.
The institute said the number of single Japanese people will likely rise, as another survey shows more young people have no intention of getting married in the future.
FeedAlien on July 9th, 2017 at 02:07 UTC »
Thank you for making me feel less alone lol. In my office group, out of 8 of us in that age range, only 1 has a child. The older generation we are replacing all have children. I'd be curious to know what sociology has to say about all that...
But for me, I feel like studying so long brought us certain expectations towards career achievement, and attaining those dreams feels accessible but is quite challenging. Having children brings a significant additional challenge, because children need stability, whereas achieving a bigger career often requires risk taking and potential instability...
We could settle and focus on the family life, but the cost is so great in today's world that the negative incentive is too high for many. Not sure if previous generations were as frequently faced with such challeges. I feel like my parents just had us without second guessing the financial and career risks. Companies offered benefits, pensions, career advancement; you joined a company and did your life there. Today its more like a world of mercenaires which has its advantages but comes at the cost of stability and long term thinking.
grey_hat_uk on July 8th, 2017 at 22:40 UTC »
I have so many issues with this title
Viking_Mana on July 8th, 2017 at 22:25 UTC »
Turns out that it's very difficult to find time for sex when you have to work 26 hours a day, 9 days a week.