世論 What Japan Thinks

With Mother’s Day fast approaching – 14th of May this year – japan.internet.com, in conjunction with JR Tokai Express Research, performed a timely investigation of what people thought about Mother’s Day presents. They surveyed 331 public and private company employees, 81.9% male, by means of an internet questionnaire. The age breakdown was 13.3% in their twenties, 42.3% in their thirties, 37.2% in their forties, 6.9% in their fifties, and just 0.3%, or one person, aged 60 or older. Everybody in the survey had a living mother, apparently, or if not they passed a present to their spouse’s mother or some other maternal figure.

Personally, I’ve only the once ever sent my mother a present, as she doesn’t believe in all the stupid commercialisation of it. That present was in fact a prize I won in a competition in a supermarket!

Q1: Recently, about how often have you sent a Mother’s Day present? (Sample size=331)

Every year	40.8%
Most years	16.7%
Some years	19.9%
Almost never (to end)	21.8%
Other (to end)	0.9%

Q2: What present did you send on Mother’s Day last year? (Sample size=263, multiple answer)

	Votes	Percentage
Carnation	86	32.7%
Other cut flowers or pot plants	80	30.4%
Handkerchief, gloves or other small item of wear	62	23.6%
Western or Japanese clothes	49	18.6%
Eat out at restaurant, etc	36	13.7%
Bag	33	12.5%
Foodstuff	19	7.2%
Necklace, ring or other accessory	15	5.7%
Cash	10	3.8%
General gift coupon	9	3.4%
Fruit	6	2.3%
Travel ticket or coupon	6	2.3%
Paid for a trip together	4	1.5%
Restaurant or other meal coupon	1	0.4%
Didn’t give anything last year (to end)	27	10.3%
Other	14	5.3%

Q3: How much did you spend in total on presents for Mother’s Day last year? (Sample size=236)

Up to 1,000 yen	1.3%
1,000 to 5,000 yen	42.4%
5,000 to 10,000 yen	39.0%
10,000 to 20,000 yen	11.0%
20,000 to 50,000 yen	6.0%
50,000 to 100,000 yen	0.4%
Over 100,000 yen	0.0%