Lately, when restarting nuclear weapons debate, Japan has to strike a delicate balance since, as the only country to have experienced the horrors of a nuclear attack, it remains committed to leading discussions on bringing about a world without nuclear weapons and continues to face calls from survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings to do more to achieve that. Although there are several factors that can critically affect the anti-nuclear stance of Japanese public, this paper, based on results of opinion polls 2018–2022 and researches about nuclear issues debates, focuses on Japanese public opinion towards deployment of nuclear weapons in the territory of Japan and analyzing one, but specific factor, which can affect the Japanese public while discussing this issue – social pressure among the Japanese in the society. Highlighting the importance of social pressure in public opinion toward different issues in both in Japanese society and the online arena, the author makes a conclusion that Japanese people are less likely to succumb to social pressure in matters they consider vital.

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In Japan economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been asymmetric across age groups. Japan’s current wave of coronavirus infections has mostly affected its younger generations, reflecting both the efficacy of its vaccination program among the elderly and the pitfalls of a slow rollout that still hasn’t reached most of the youth population. And although now COVID-19 vaccines are available in Japan, it is very important to understand whether young Japanese are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as this can have large consequences for the success of the vaccination program in the country all in all and this can cause potentially large as Japanese nation health and Japanese economic consequences. Moreover, the surveys on Japanese citizens’ behavioral changes and preparedness against COVID-19 conducted by Japanese researchers in 2021 revealed that being younger was among the factors associated with reluctance to follow COVID-19 prevention measures. Despite a gradual lifting of confinement measures across Japan recently, changes in everyday behavior of Japanese citizen will still be crucial in the coming months to avoid new waves of infections. In this connection, building trust to government’ actions (taken COVID-19 pandemic fight measures) among the young people remains crucial. Based on carried out in Japan 2021 surveys’ findings, the author highlights the key challenges arisen in the proses of vaccination, Japanese governance responses to build back better this situation for all generations of the country and possible ways for addressing new challenges.

Abstract. This paper explores the dynamics of changing perceptions of Russia by Japanese young generation. The aim of the paper is to examine attitude toward Russia among young Japanese people, and to investigate factors that affect their "distant neighbor" perceptions and attitudes, and how it has changed within five years. As relations between Japan and Russia grow more complex, the need for more knowledge for mutual understanding is getting great.It is based on a series of more detailed data analyses of the polls conducted at the Universities of Japan -as a part of research project "Student's Representations of neighboring countries at the beginning of 21 st century -Russia and Japan". In the research author turned to a student's audience, which is most perspective for acting with, on the way of creation of public opinion about foreign countries as well. Author address findings that obtained in 2007 and 2012 and use qualitative research methods, such as interviewing and discourse analysis. So, we provide an overview of findings from representative surveys and analyze findings from studies to draw conclusions about the drivers of changing public perceptions towards Russia.Presented research is an illustrative explanation -stereotyped images are long-lasting and durable. They are difficult to change and can be passed on as heritage from the past.Author concludes that although in general at the level of the University students' perceptions towards Russia have not been changed, but in details we can see some quantitative changes. The results indicated that some Japanese students held quite optimistic opinions toward Russia, but there was also evidence that public opinions toward Russia differed across the students and sometimes not in positive way.