世論 What Japan Thinks

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In September of this year, the Cabinet Office Japan conducted an opinion poll, interviewing 1,896 people, 55% female regarding attitudes towards environmental issues. This rather lengthy survey will be split over three days. Note that only 14% sell unwanted goods – sodai gomi day is legendardy for finding discarded treasure! Last time I was in Germany I was charged 30 cents (42 yen or so) for a high quality reusable plastic bag at Spar, but the Japanese seem prepared to pay only as much as 5 yen, but perhaps they are picturing paying for the current cheap thin bags?

Q9: Do you usually endeavour to reuse and recycle? Which of the following do you try to do? (Multiple answer)

Thoroughly separate and categorise rubbish before throwing it out	82.2%
To make things easier to recycle, wash bottles, etc before disposal	63.9%
Use unneeded goods for another purpose, such as using old clothers as dusters or cloths	41.9%
Buy goods in reusable containers, like milk in bottles	17.0%
Actively purchase goods made from recycled materials	15.7%
Sell unneeded goods at second-hand shop, bazaar, fleamarket, etc	13.9%
Use old products rather than buying new ones	7.1%
Other	0.3%
Nothing in particular	6.1%
Don’t know	0.3%

Q10: When eating in at fast food and coffee shops, etc, which do you think you prefer to use, disposable utensils or reusable utensils?

Disposable utensils (to SQa)	19.3%
Reusable utensils (to SQb)	54.4%
Either is fine	22.7%
Don’t know	3.6%

Q10SQa: Why did you select disposable utensils? (Sample size=366, multiple answer)

Concerned about hygiene of reusable utensils	70.8%
Disposable utensils are easy to handle (difficult to break, light, convenient to carry, etc)	37.2%
Returning reusable utensils takes effort, and cannot take home	14.2%
Other	0.3%
No particular reason	1.6%
No answer	–

Q10SQb: Why did you select reusable utensils? (Sample size=1,031, multiple answer)

Effective use of resources	78.1%
Food is tastier than from disposable utensils	29.4%
Reusable utensils are easier to handle	13.5%
Other	1.3%
No particular reason	1.9%
Don’t know	–

Q11: If at a food and drink establishment you could select between reusable and disposable utensils, if it was more expensive for disposable utensils (both for eat in and carry out) up to about how much per item would you pay to use disposable utensils?

1 to 5 yen	42.0%
6 to 10 yen	20.2%
11 to 20 yen	4.9%
21 to 50 yen	1.8%
Over 50 yen	1.2%
Regardless of cost, I wouldn’t use disposable utensils	22.1%
Don’t know	7.8%

Q12: What do you think about activities, aimed at reducing packaging waste, to forbid free bags at checkouts, etc?

I support them (to SQa)	55.1%
I oppose them (to SQb)	21.9%
I can’t say one or the other	23.0%

Q12SQa: Why do you support banning free bags? (Sample size=1,044, multiple answer)

Because it can control consumption of raw materials	67.0%
Because it’s a waste giving a bag at the checkout	36.4%
Because I use my own bag when I go shopping	36.0%
Other	0.7%
No particular reason	1.1%
Don’t know	0.3%

Q12SQb: Why do you oppose banning free bags? (Sample size=416, multiple answer)

Because I can reuse the bag at home, it’s not a waste	73.6%
Because the free bag should be part of the service	28.1%
Because it’s an effort to use my own bag	22.1%
Other	2.2%
No particular reason	2.9%
Don’t know	0.2%

Q13: If supermarkets and convenience stores, etc, charged for bags at the checkout, up to about how much would you be prepared to pay?

1 or 2 yen	31.7%
3 to 5 yen	29.5%
6 to 10 yen	12.6%
11 yen and over	1.6%
Regardless of cost, I wouldn’t pay for the bag	20.4%
Don’t know	4.2%

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]