Researcher is now the second most popular job among Japanese boys, a nationwide survey of 1,100 elementary school and preschool children said Friday.
Soccer player remained the top job for the seventh consecutive year, followed by police officer or detective, according to the annual survey by Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co.
Swimmer, which was ranked 18th last year, soared to eighth place after Japan’s swim team did well at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last August, earning nine medals.
Regarding the surging popularity of researchers, which jumped to second from eighth last year, an official at the insurer cited Japan’s recent Nobel Prize winners as a potential cause.
“Japanese nationals winning Nobel Prizes successively may have had an effect,” the official said.
Among girls, working at food shops continued to be the most popular occupation for the 20th consecutive year, followed by preschool teacher and schoolteacher in second and third, respectively.
Meanwhile, dance teachers, dancers and ballerinas were lumped into 10th place, making the top 10 list for the first time since 2009.
“As dances have been taught in school classes, kids are becoming familiar with dancing,” the insurance official said.
The survey was conducted between last July and September. The insurer started the survey in 1989.
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