"An intellectual is a person who's found one thing that's more interesting than sex" - Aldous Huxley.
Japanese youngsters seem to have taken the English author seriously and are keen on finding that "one thing," for sex does not interest them anymore.
The problem has grown so severe that the country's government is calling the phenomenon a "national catastrophe."
A survey conducted by Japan Association for Sex Education questioned female college students. They were asked about their sexual habits and dating practices. The results alarmed the government so much that it declared it the 'sekkusu shinai shokogun' (celibacy syndrome).
Researchers found nearly 40 percent of the respondents were virgins.
According to the 2011 data the number of virgins shot up to 53.2 percent in five years. Statistics released by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research showed that 61 per cent of unmarried men and almost half (49 per cent) of women aged between 18 and 34 were not in any kind of relationship. This was a rise of almost 10 per cent from five years earlier.
Another separate study revealed that 30 percent unmarried Japanese men never dated at all.
This also led to a drop in Japan's population in the past 10 years. In 2012, the country witnessed the lowest birth record and recorded a significant increase in the number of older people.
The Examiner says the reason behind youngsters losing interest in sex is due to the country's social transition. The various problems include recovery from economic stagnation and aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused nuclear damage.
Some experts said that job insecurity, economic uncertainty and conservative views against women in the home and workplace could be at blame. Others also say that the occurrence might be due to Japan's technological achievements that have lead the youngsters nestle quietly in their virtual worlds.
