Electronic Devices Rank 4th in List of Children’s Most-Coveted Christmas Gifts in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, December 12, 2023

Smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices have ranked fourth in a survey on what children ages 3-12 want as Christmas presents.

It was the first time in major toy maker Bandai Co.’s survey, which started in 1995, that an electronic device rather than a toy was ranked among the top-five in the list.

In the survey conducted in November on 600 parents, video game software has been in first place for three consecutive years, followed by game consoles. “Role-play” or “transformation” toys to impersonate anime or other characters were chosen as the No. 3 gift.

Electronic devices moved to fourth from 17th in the previous year’s survey. They are particularly popular among children ages 9 to 12, likely due to the increased use of tablets in elementary schools.

The survey respondents said their average budget is ¥7,718, down ¥243 from last year.

Thirty-two people said their budget was lower than last year, and 34% of respondents said it was because of increased spending due to high prices and others, followed by 21% who cited saving for the future as the reason for the budget cuts.