Being a streamer is now the number one dream of Japanese children, but it disappears in high school

Educational publisher Gakken released its annual survey on the professions Japanese students want to pursue, and the results confirm a generational shift: online content creator is now the most popular answer among elementary school children, ahead of pastry chef, which dropped to second place.

The poll included 1,200 elementary school students, 600 junior high school students, and 600 high school students. In elementary school, the option of streamer, YouTuber, or online content creator received 113 responses, followed by pastry chef with 110 and police officer with 92.

The picture changes with age. In junior high school, the profession drops to a tie for fourth place, behind company employee, civil servant, and teacher. In high school it disappears completely from the Top 10, where company employee, civil servant, and teacher dominate.

Natsuko Kawada, director of Gakken's Educational Research Institute, explained that the popularity of content creators persists among younger children, but that as students grow older they tend to prefer more realistic and stable occupations.

Originally published on Anitsu by Kim Seo-yeon. Text reviewed and fact-checked for DonOtaku on November 5, 2026; the original date is preserved.