42% - 44% of single 18 to 34 year old Japanese are virgins

[Cassandra]

At least forty per cent of young single people in Japan are virgins. A new study that highlights concerns about the country's demographic challenges says Japan already suffers from the world's oldest population combined with a shrinking birthrate.

A survey of unmarried people aged 18 to 34 found that around 42 per cent of men, and 44.2 per cent of single women had never had sex ... read more

[J girl]

Wow, it`s quite big no of people. I was shocked with the article as well as I admit the situation.
Recently in Japan, young generation seems like have lots of issues, I have heard that, even though, they have boyfriend or girlfriend, many young generation doesn`t have any sexual relationship.

[Misaki]

Well, some of my Japanese friends are also in that group.
They are quite cute and nice people, however they might have high expectation for guys.
One of them are really love Korean drama, also she loves Korean singers as well.
They are celebrities, so good looking, and have nice attractive body with nice cloths.
Unfortunately, in real world, not so many people are like celebrities. So, they can`t find boyfriend.

[Louie]

Having high standards is fine but yeah, not everyone can be "drop dead gorgeous".

[Louie]

Not everyone can be handsome or cute. It's a shame but people are naturally attracted to the good looking ones since it's part of Human Nature.

[Sakurahime]

It's interesting though, because "beautiful", in some ways, is very subjective. Just look at the main beauty standards in different countries. In Japan, pale skin is desired; in the West, many countries consider tanned skin to be preferable. I don't think the problem, so to speak, is just about finding a beautiful person. As the article said, there are various other economic and social forces at work - a stable income is more attractive for some women than looks. A husband might not even be seen for most hours of the day as he's at work. A wife will spend far more time with the children.
I'm not sure how it ties in, but there was quite a bit of talk a while ago about "herbivore" men, or men who are too shy or uninterested in relationships/sex. This isn't a new phenomenon, but more of a continuing trend.

[thatha]

I think people has just lost interest in relationships or sex.
I read on a Japanese website that men don't seem to have a girl friend because

1. Japanese men feel like it is a pain in the butt to spend all their free time with a girl friend
2. Japanese men don't want to be deprived of freedom in general
3. Japanese men want to prioritize work
4. Japanese men don't want their girl friend to talk about marriage
5. Japan men don't want to go talk to women first to start a relationship

Japanese women on the other hand don't want to have a relationship because

1. Japanese women's parents don't pressure them to be in a relationship anymore like it once used to be in Japan
2. Japanese women are becoming more independent
3. Japanese women get their heart broken when they are a teenager and can't trust men anymore
4. TV and the Internet portraits only unhappy couples (cheating, fighting and so on) providing a negative image of a relationship.

Moreover, according to this article, the fact that you can play games online with whoever you want and you can shop things online, give less opportunity for people to interact.
A lot of men also choose to work at a part time job to have more free time. Not being able to earn enough money for two, a lot of men give up on having a girl friend because they know they won't be able to support a girl friend or even a family.
Therefore a lot of people lose interest on having a relationship.

I guess the values of having a relationship among young people in Japan has changed due to pressure, technology and certain social conditions. Still, Japan needs to figure out a way to overcome super-aged society.