Press Release: Japan unveils plan to develop happiness index

December 6, 2011

Japan unveils plan to develop happiness index  

The Japanese government is planning to develop an index to measure happiness.

The Japanese Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister unveiled the plan today at the Asia-Pacific Conference on measuring Well-being and the Progress of Societies.
 

The GNH secretary Karma Tshiteem is also attending the conference.
 

The index will evaluate people’s well-being using three benchmarks- household wealth, physical and mental health, and community and social ties.
 

The benchmarks will be based on data such as poverty rates, suicides, perceptions of family ties and fears about radiation. The data collection will start next year.