世論 What Japan Thinks

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

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. Now for lifestyle and car issues – people on the whole still want stuff – perhaps they hope that it will be others who make changes to their lifestyles.

Q14: Considering the high production, high consumption, high disposal society, to control consumption of natural resources, reduce waste, reuse and recycle and reduce the burden on the environment, What do you think about the promotion of measures for establishing a recycling-oriented society? Select the one that is closest to your way of thinking.

If the current lifestyle level drops, I cannot accept it	1.7%
It is best if without dropping the current lifestyle level, whilst continuing high production and high consumption, we have active promotion of waste reuse and recycling	29.3%
If waste disposal facilities or natural resources run out, we cannot avoid moving to a recycling-oriented society	21.7%
Even if the current lifestyle level drops, we should move to a recycling-oriented society	17.6%
Whilst changing the current attitudes to the importance of owning and consuming stuff, regardless of any drop to the current lifestyle level, we should move to a recycling-oriented society	14.5%
I don’t know what sort of society a recycling-oriented society is	7.1%
Other	0.1%
Don’t know	8.0%

Q15: Talking about environmental problems regarding car use, what do you think is the most important one?

Air pollution	52.3%
Global warming problem	32.1%
Noise and vibration problem	6.8%
Recycling problem	4.3%
Other	–
Nothing in particular	2.5%
Don’t know	2.0%

Q16: Regarding the relationship between cars being useful in daily life and the environmental problems they bring, which of the following is closest to your way of thinking?

Even though daily life may become inconvenient to some degree, it is better to address the environmental problems due to cars	48.6%
Even though environmental problems from cars occur to some degree, the convenient lifestyle is better	30.9%
Can’t really say	17.8%
Don’t know	2.7%

Q17: In order to prevent vehicular pollution, it is thought that self-control of car usage or traffic restrictions, etc will be necessary. If such a request for cooperation was made, what would you do?

Cooperate with it fully	32.4%
Where possible cooperate with it	54.2%
Not really cooperate with it	6.1%
Not cooperate with it at all	1.4%
Don’t know	5.9%

Q18: “Green energy” cars, such as hybrids, natural gas or electric power, when compared with normal cars are said to be kinder on the environment, but the price is more expensive. What do you think about promotion of measures such as priority lanes in busy city streets, special parking around railways stations, and other favourable treatment for green energy cars?

Even if there is favourable treatment, they should promote the spread of green energy cars	68.9%
Until there is favourable treatment, it is not necessary to promote the spread of green energy cars	16.0%
There is no need to promote the spread of green energy cars in the first place	3.3%
Don’t know	11.8%

Finally, a little demographic information

Do you own a car, and excluding buses and taxis, how often do you ride in a car?

Have a car, use almost every day	48.6%
Have a car, use 1 to 3 days a week	26.9%
Have a car, never or almost never use it	8.3%
Don’t have a car, but use one almost every day	0.5%
Don’t have a car, but use one 1 to 3 days a week	1.3%
Don’t have a car, and never or almost never use one	14.1%
Don’t know	0.3%

How often do you use a car (excluding buses and taxis) for work?

Almost every day	34.3%
1 to 3 times a week	7.6%
Never or almost never	22.6%
Don’t work	35.2%
Don’t know	0.3%

Whew, that’s finished! Rather a difficult translation, I thought, as some of the questions and answers were rather long.

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