Survey report on the current state of elementary school students' commuting practices across Japan

To understand the current situation of elementary school children's commutes in Japan, an online survey targeting women aged 20-49 with children attending municipal elementary schools was conducted in the fall of 2023. This survey garnered 6,000 valid responses, revealing that 82% of children walked to school and 67% walked home daily, with walking being more prevalent in larger cities. Besides walking, family car rides were the most common mode of transportation, although after-school program operators often directly pick up the children. Less than 2% of the children used school buses more than 11 days per month for both arrival and departure. A significant number of children commuted with peers from their neighborhoods, yet 15% walked to school and 11% walked home alone. In terms of independent mobility, 77% were allowed to walk home by themselves, but only 15% were permitted to travel outside their school district. Parents identified risks such as strangers during commutes and traffic accidents and heatstroke outside of commuting times.