世論 What Japan Thinks

With today being Japan’s Coming of Age Day – 成人の日, seijin no hi – Seiko (the watch people, as a watch is a popular present for these new adults from their parents) published a survey of soon-to-be adults to see what their views were regarding time. They questioned 517 people, 258 male, 259 female, in the middle of November last year. The demographics were almost exclusively students, numbering 89.6% of the total, with 3.5% part-timers or other temporary staff, just 1.8% in full-time employment, 0.4% self-employed, and 1.0% full-time housewives.

On the TV today, there was the usual coverage of the various Coming of Age Ceremonies, but the one I always find the strangest is the new tradition of spending it at Tokyo Disneyland, where it seems people are not celebrating their last chance at being a child by dancing with Mickey and Minnie, but are instead just continuing their relationship with Disney. Interviews with the participants afterwards always shows a child-like wonder at having touched Mickey and Minnie, the sort of reaction I would associate with a ten-year-old, not a twenty-year-old!

Q1: Spending what sort of time do you think is “mottainai” (what a waste!) time? (Free answer)

Oversleeping	35.8%
Dragging things out	25.5%
Getting from place to place	5.2%
On the internet	4.6%
Watching the TV	3.3%
Being in class	2.3%
When I can’t be bothered doing anything	1.9%
Waiting for things	1.7%
Playing computer games	1.5%

Q2: This year, when did you most feel time was too short? (Free answer)

	All	Male	Female
Time playing with friends	13.0%	14.0%	12.0%
Time spent with lover	10.1%	9.7%	10.8%
Time spent studying, writing essays, etc	10.1%	9.3%	10.8%
Time spent sleeping	6.4%	7.8%	5.0%
Time spent working	5.4%	4.7%	6.2%
Time spent on holiday	5.2%	2.7%	7.7%
Time spent in exams	3.9%	5.0%	2.7%
Time attending concerts	3.7%	1.9%	5.4%
Time spent on computer games	2.7%	3.1%	2.3%
Time spent on PC or internet	2.7%	3.1%	2.3%

Q3: Who do you think is the top man and woman of the moment? (Free answer)

Man of the moment

	All	Male	Female
Lazer Ramon HG (fuu!)	18.0%	18.6%	17.4%
Junichiro Koizumi	14.3%	15.1%	13.5%
Takafumi Horie	7.0%	8.5%	5.4%
Mocomichi Hayami	5.0%	1.6%	8.5%
Hiroshi Mikitani	3.7%	4.3%	3.1%
Satoshi Tsumabuki	3.7%	2.7%	4.6%
Bobby Valentine	3.3%	3.9%	2.7%
Kazuya Kamenashi	1.7%	1.2%	2.3%
Ichiro	1.7%	2.7%	0.8%
Taizo Sugimura	1.7%	2.3%	1.2%

Woman of the moment

	All	Male	Female
Misaki Ito	13.9%	11.6%	16.2%
Ai Miyasato	6.8%	7.8%	5.8%
Kumi Koda	4.8%	3.5%	6.2%
Aya Ueto	4.6%	5.4%	3.9%
Yukie Nakama	4.3%	3.5%	5.0%
Masami Nagasawa	2.9%	.9%	1.9%
Kazuko Hosoki	2.7%	3.9%	1.5%
Mika Nakashima	2.5%	1.6%	3.5%
Moe Yamaguchi	2.5%	2.7%	2.3%
Kuniko Inoguchi	2.3%	3.1%	1.5%
Sayaka Aoki	2.3%	2.3%	2.3%

Q4: If your life were a 42.195 kilometre marathon, where are you now? (Free answer, rounded for presentation)

	All	Male	Female
0 kilometres	8.1%	11.2%	5.0%
5 kilometres	11.4%	12.4%	10.4%
10 kilometres	32.3%	27.9%	36.7%
15 kilometres	6.6%	7.0%	6.2%
20 kilometres	6.2%	7.8%	4.6%

Q5: Mentally, how old do you feel? (Free answer)

Male Age	Percentage	Female Age	Percentage
20	16.3%	17	13.1%
15	9.7%	18	12.0%
25	8.9%	15	8.1%
30	8.9%	20	8.1%
17	8.1%	25	8.1%
		19	7.7%

Q6: How would you describe yourself as a ____ man (or woman)? (Free answer, grouped into types)

Type of person	Percentage	Sample answers
Hobbyist	37.5%	Convenience store woman; udon man; PC man; Disney woman; car woman; appetite woman
Reflective	35.8%	Moratorium man; empty-headed man; failure woman; metronome man; electromagnetic wave woman (!?)
Forward-looking	18.2%	Starting out man; happy woman; turning the tables man; effort man; celebrity woman
Nothing in particular	3.3%
Other	5.2%	Girly man; bowing man; slipped disk woman