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Q15 Which two factors of the following do you think are most important for becoming successful in life? (two answers) - Family position and social rank/ parents' social status
- Personal abilities
- Personal effort
- Having a good education
- Luck or chance
- Don't know/no answer
The respondents were asked to select two factors that they think were most important for becoming successful in life. In Japan, the factor most frequently cited was 'personal effort' at 75.6%, followed by 'personal abilities' (53.6%), and 'luck or chance' (40.1%).
When compared with figures taken in the previous surveys, 'personal effort' remained at the top. Although the figures for 'personal abilities' and 'luck or chance' recorded in the fourth and fifth surveys were nearly identical, 'personal abilities' surpassed 'luck or chance' in the latest two surveys. (Figure 2-2)
Figure 2-2 Factors of success (Change over the years: Japan) 
In comparison with other countries, the factor most frequently cited was 'personal efforts' in all countries except Korea. In Korea, 'personal abilities' was ranked first. 'Luck or chance' was ranked third in Japan, but 'good education' was third in all the other countries. (Table 2-2)
Table 2-2 Factors of Success (Country Comparison) 
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Q16 Which one of the following items do you think people generally value the most about college graduates? Please select one answer. - Having graduated from a top university
- Having graduated from any university, regardless of the rank of the university
- What kind of grades one received in university
- What field one majored in at university
- Don't know/no answer
In Japan, the factor most frequently cited was the 'field one majored in at university' (45.7%). This was followed by 'having graduated from a top university' (17.1%) and 'what kind of grades one received in university' (14.2%)
Compared with the previous survey, the proportion of the respondents who chose the 'field one majored in at university' increased from 40.9% to 45.7%, recording the all-time highest figure in Japan. Looking at the changes over the years, 'having graduated from any university, regardless of the rank of the university' was ranked third in the fifth and sixth surveys, but in this survey 'what kind of grades one received in university' was third as in the case of the fourth survey. (Table 2-3)
Table 2-3 Factors for which College Graduates are Evaluated
(Changes over the years, Japan)
In comparison with other countries, the factor most frequently cited in Korea was 'having graduated from a top university,' in the U.S., 'having graduated from any university, regardless of which one' and in Sweden and Germany, 'what kind of grades one received in university.' (Table 2-4)
Table 2-4 Factors for which College Graduates are Evaluated (Country Comparison) 
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