A record low number of Japanese teenagers has kissed someone. A survey by the Japan Association for Sex Education got high schoolers to answer questions on their sexual behaviour. The study found that one in five high school boys and one in four girls have kissed. These are the lowest figures since records began in 1974. The numbers for both sexes have been falling since 2005. Researchers looked at data from 12,562 questionnaires.

A big reason why fewer high schoolers are kissing is the coronavirus pandemic. This limited teenagers' contact with other people. It may have lowered sexual activity among students. A researcher said many schools closed and there was less face-to-face contact. Another reason is smartphones. More young people are choosing to be with their phones rather than be with other people. This could make Japan's already low birth rate worse.