The physical strength of students from upper elementary school through high school is higher than it was a decade ago, a government survey released Sunday said.
The fiscal 2008 survey on running, jumping, throwing and other physical feats also said middle-aged people and seniors 65 or above were fitter but that women in their 20s and 30s got weaker.
In the survey on juveniles, jumping ability declined for some boys, but agility and flexibility improved in both boys and girls.
While physical strength was below its peak around 1985, juveniles have improvement somewhat since the fiscal 2007 survey.
The annual survey conducted by the education ministry covered about 74,200 people aged 6 to 79. For students aged 11, 13 and 16, the survey reviewed records for the past 10 years and divided each age level by sex.
The survey said all groups scored higher compared with a decade ago.
For 13-year-olds, scores in nine kinds of tests climbed to 43 out of 80 points from 40 for boys a decade ago, and to 50 from 45 for girls.
Improvement was also seen in four of nine tests for 16-year-old boys and girls, in three of eight tests for 11-year-old boys, and in five tests for 11-year-old girls.
Juntendo University professor Hisashi Naito, who analyzed the survey, said it clearly showed an improving tendency and that the results may be attributable to physical education and other efforts taken by schools to promote fitness.