格差社会(かくさしゃかい)

かくさしゃかい
noun
stratified society; society with widening inequality
society
1. stratified society; society with widening inequality; divided society
A society characterized by significant gaps in income, opportunity, or social standing. A major topic in Japanese social commentary since the mid-2000s.
格差社会(かくさしゃかい)が問題(もんだい)になっている。
Social inequality has become a problem.
格差社会(かくさしゃかい)の是正(ぜせい)が求(もと)められている。
Correcting social inequality is being called for.
教育(きょういく)の機会(きかい)均等(きんとう)なくして格差社会(かくさしゃかい)の解消(かいしょう)はない。
Without equal educational opportunities, there is no resolving social inequality.

Composed of 格差(かくさ) (gap, disparity) + 社会(しゃかい) (society). The term became a buzzword in Japan around 2006, when growing income inequality, the rise of non-regular employment (非正規雇用(ひせいきこよう)), and the so-called 'working poor' became major public concerns.

Common collocations

Related words

  • 格差(かくさ): disparity, gap (the core noun)
  • 所得格差(しょとくかくさ): income inequality
  • 教育格差(きょういくかくさ): educational inequality
  • 一億総中流(いちおくそうちゅうりゅう): the idea that 100 million Japanese are all middle class (a contrasting concept from the era before 格差社会(かくさしゃかい) became a concern)

Related Words

Compare: 階層(かいそう)社会(しゃかい) (stratified society)
general
Added 2026.3.27 16:19 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19962_kakusashakai