The government has adopted new general principles for nurturing young people, especially those who shut themselves in at home and those not engaged in education, employment or training (NEETs).

The new principles, a revision of earlier principles adopted in 2003, take into account the impact of the Internet and mobile phones on young people and the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

The document points out that the number of NEETs and "freeters" (young part-time workers who frequently change jobs) remains high, and concludes that factors such as the unstable employment situation and parents' economic difficulties are hindering the healthy growth of young people. An estimate by the labor and welfare ministry says that there were 620,000 NEETs and 1.81 million freeters in fiscal 2007.