ABSTRACT
An analysis of the social acceptability of lifestyles designed through backcasting clearly shows that, as a latent tendency, most Japanese seek nature and fun as much as they do convenience. The interviews with 90-year-olds, who presumably were able to find ways to enjoy life in spite of various constraints, led to the discovery of 44 elements crucial to the development of Japanese culture. The development of technologies and services based on conventional forecasting cannot be expected to support independence. The lifestyles envisioned for 2030 reflect a latent desire for values such as convenience, nature, pleasure, societal unity, and personal growth. These were all latent values that came to light in the analysis of lifestyles, designed through backcasting, with a high level of social acceptability. Recent studies on positive psychology suggest that 50% of one's happiness is determined by genetic factors, 10% by social status, fame, and income, and the remaining 40% by behavior modification.
