世論 What Japan Thinks

Over four days in early March (sorry, but they are always slow to report) Central Research Services, Inc carried out a survey on views on pets. 2,000 people throughout the country aged 20 or over were randomly selected for face-to-face interviews; just over two-thirds, or 1,341 agreed to participate. The same questions had also been asked in other surveys carried out in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2005.

Pet ownership is yet another of the facets of Japanese society that we foreigners find hard to understand. Whilst this survey does highlight some of the things that seem strange to me, sadly it does not explain them. In reference to the headline, a few years ago there was a huge boom in Chiuwawa sales thanks mostly to a series of adverts for high interest loans, with some other adverts following suit. One that particularly sticks in my mind was for a product I forgot, but the daughter was moving out to her own place, and you saw her coming in with her newly-bought puppy only to find the parents already waiting with another one. Oh, how they laughed!

Q1: Do you keep a pet? (Sample size=1,341)

Have a pet	33.0%
Used to have a pet	32.1%
Never had a pet	34.9%

In the big city, ownership was lowest at 28.2%, rising to 35.4% in the countryside. This figure has dropped from 43.0% in the first survey in 1999.

Q2: What sort of pets do you have? (Sample size=443, multiple answer)

Dog	56.4%
Cat	28.2%
Fish	21.9%
Bird	7.2%
Hamster	2.3%
Beetle	1.8%
Rabbit	0.7%
Other	4.3%

Dogs are down 1.3% from last year, whilst cats are up 2.5%. Hurrah! As one might guess, dog ownership was highest in the countryside at 62.5%.

Q3: Why do you keep a pet? (Sample size=443, multiple answer)

Because they are cute	46.5%
I like animals	38.4%
Children or grandchildren wanted one	21.7%
Took it in or was given it	17.6%
As a companion	15.3%
Good for children’s education	14.4%
In order to meet more people	9.0%
Lonely without children	0.9%
No particular reason	5.0%

By both age and sex, cuteness was the number one reason. As a companion, which was the reason I had my cat back in Scotland, and what I think is the best reason, was highest for those in their twenties, although I would have suspected it would be older people who were more likely to have that reason.

Q4: What problems do you have keeping a pet? (Sample size=443, multiple answer)

Difficult to go on holiday	33.9%
Looking after it is hard	15.1%
Vet bills are expensive	14.9%
Causes trouble with the neighbours	7.2%
Pet foods costs too much	5.0%
Spread diseases	0.5%
Other	7.2%
No problems	39.7%

Q5: Do you get problems from other people’s pets? (Sample size=1,341)

Yes (to SQ)	44.6%
No	54.7%
Don’t know	0.7%

Q5SQ: What problems do you get from other people’s pets? (Sample size=598)

Owner didn’t tidy up poo	60.0%
Noisy barking, etc	37.5%
Entered the house or garden	27.8%
Been bit, etc, by them	13.5%
Owner threw kittens, puppies, etc away	3.2%
Spread diseases	0.3%
Owner died and the dog was let loose	0.2%
Other	6.9%