Baker tops list of dream jobs for Japanese 6-year-olds but YouTuber rising fast
Japanese first-graders – but this year's annual survey of six-year-olds also reflects shifting gender roles, growing interest in online fame and parental concerns over job security.
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Ahead of Children's Day on Monday, Japanese chemical maker Kuraray released the results of its annual poll on the career aspirations of children starting primary school in the 2025 financial year.
Among the 4,000 respondents, 'patissier or baker' topped the list, picked by 11.7 per cent of children overall, according to reporting by The Japan Times. The popular response reflects a long-standing fascination with cakes and confectioneries, particularly among girls, even as the proportion choosing the job has dropped to its lowest level on record.
Second and third choices overall were police officer at 10.5 per cent and athlete at 8.5 per cent. But the results revealed diverging preferences by gender.
Japanese students eating French cuisine and cakes cooked by French chef Christoph Paucod (back L) and members of his team for their lunch at a junior school in Koriyama in 2013. Photo: AFP
For girls, patissier or baker remained the top pick for the 26th consecutive year. Still, only 20.2 per cent selected the role – the lowest share since the survey began in 1999. Celebrity, singer or model came second at 9.7 per cent, followed by nursery worker at 6.4 per cent.
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