“Why did you become a newspaper reporter?” I was asked this question often in my younger days, probably because I just didn’t look the type.

Now that I have aged without having accomplished anything I can brag about, I ask myself the same question, as well as what my profession of choice would be if I could start over.

Kuraray Co., a leading maker of “randoseru” (schoolchildren’s backpack) material, conducts an annual survey of “dream jobs” among the youngsters who started elementary school in April.

Topping the list this year was “pastry shop/bakery owner,” followed by “police officer” and “pro athlete” in that order, according to the survey results disclosed last week.

One surprise this year was that “YouTuber” was knocked off the top-10 list. How swiftly this once-glamorous occupation has lost its luster.

And the rankings by gender showed some interesting trends. Among girls, “showbiz celebrity or singer” made a notable comeback, while “researcher” and “game creator” rose up the list for boys.

Sought-after professions come and go.

I recently learned in the news that the once-prestigious status of “career bureaucrat” is now being sought by far fewer University of Tokyo students than before.

Instead, today’s most desirable places of employment appear to be consulting firms and information technology companies.

An expression I have begun hearing is “Kasumigaseki no jiban chinka” (literally, “subsidence of Kasumigaseki”), meaning that Japan’s bureaucracy is on the decline.

I am worried about the political community. The Diet is becoming overrun by second- and third-generation legislators, as if they are there just to keep up their family business.

There is also an alarming dearth of people who would seek local assembly seats. One survey projects that in the next few years, 34 percent of town and village assemblies around the nation will be determined without a contested ballot.

What will become of democracy in this country?

To go back to the initial question of why I became a newspaper reporter, my answer—which sounds really naive—is that I wanted to make the world a better place.

I can’t say I’ve made any difference yet. Therefore, were I to be reborn some day, I would like to try being a reporter again.

—The Asahi Shimbun, April 11

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.