世論 What Japan Thinks

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

Between the 18th of January and the 4th of February the Cabinet Office Japan conducted a survey into what people thought about society.

Demographics

10,000 people were selected randomly from all Japanese citizens aged 20 or older for face-to-face interviews. 5,585 people were available and agreed to take part. 54.5% of the sample was female, 7.9% in their twenties, 14.8% in their thirties, 15.2% in their forties, 21.0% in their fifties, 20.8% in their sixties, 15.4% in their seventies, and 4.8% aged 80 or older. 74.6% were married, 11.8% were divorced or widowed, and 13.5% never married.

Another knee-jerk from many in the foreign community was when Japan’s Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa talked about it being only natural that couples want at least two children. Some bloggers did go against the trend, I’m glad to say, and this survey shows that the majority of married people want, in fact, three children, and even the younger generation much prefer two to one or zero.

At least the topic of children brings out the brighter side of the Japanese. Education costs are a major concern, as even most public schools require the parents to pay for the basics like text books..

Research results

Q13: How many children would be the best number for you to have? (Sample size=5,585)

No children	0.5%
One child	2.2%
Two children	34.5%
Three children	51.6%
Four children	5.0%
Five children	1.8%
Six or more children	0.3%
Don’t know	4.0%

This gives an average of 2.68 children. Now, looking in detail by age group, we get the following data.

Q13: How many children would be the best number for you to have? (Sample size=5,585, by age)

	0, 1	2	3	4+	Don’t know	Average
20 to 29 years old	6.4%	50.2%	35.2%	3.0%	5.2%	2.37
30 to 39 years old	5.7%	46.3%	40.7%	3.6%	3.7%	2.45
40 to 49 years old	2.0%	40.0%	48.3%	5.6%	4.1%	2.62
50 to 59 years old	1.7%	31.9%	56.5%	5.9%	3.9%	2.71
60 to 69 years old	1.5%	28.0%	57.7%	9.4%	3.4%	2.81
70 years old or more	2.2%	24.7%	56.9%	11.7%	4.4%	2.86

Q14: How many children do you currently have (or had)? (Sample size=5,585)

No children	3.0%
One child	11.6%
Two children	44.4%
Three children	26.1%
Four children	3.4%
Five children	1.1%
Six or more children	0.3%
Don’t know	10.0%

This gives an average of 2.22 children. I worry about the 10.0% who don’t know! Although 13.5% said they weren’t married, and the number of children born outside wedlock is much less than one in ten, I find the 3.0% (or 13.0% if you add in the don’t knows) who say they have no children is rather too low a figure. Perhaps there is a mistake in the sample size above and they only asked the question of married, divorce or widowed people?

Q15: There are both joys and hardships when bringing up children. Which is the closest to how you feel or felt? If you have no children, how do you imagine it to be? (Sample size=5,585)

Joys are greater	51.8%
Both joys and hardships are about equal	34.8%
Hardships are greater	6.3%
Other	0.4%
Don’t know	6.7%

Q16: What are the joys of bringing up children? (Sample size=5,585, multiple answer)

Watching them grow up	65.2%
Strengthening family ties	53.8%
Growing up myself along with the children	49.1%
Just looking at children is a joy	41.1%
Making new friends through bringing up children	33.2%
Having a fulfilling life through bringing up children	32.0%
Getting self-confidence through bringing up children	17.1%
Bringing up those who will bear the burden of the next generation of society	15.9%
Experiencing the work required for bringing up children	13.4%
Bringing up the next generation of the family or of work	9.8%
Other	0.3%
None in particular	2.6%
Don’t know	5.2%

Q17: What are the hardships of bringing up children? (Sample size=5,585, multiple answer)

Cost of child’s future education	42.4%
Cost of child-rearing	22.2%
Strength and patience for being a parent	21.0%
Loss of free time	22.3%
Cannot have the career I wanted	12.7%
Don’t know how to relate to children	8.8%
Small home, no room to breathe	8.8%
Difficult taking children along when going out	8.0%
Not liking the child	1.1%
Other	1.9%
None in particular	21.1%
Don’t know	6.2%

Q18: In the future who should bear the main duties for bringing up children? (Sample size=5,585)

Parents, family	46.6%
Government	11.4%
Child-care facilities	10.1%
Population as a whole	9.7%
School, educators	9.1%
Neighbours	5.1%
Existing situation is fine	3.1%
Other	0.2%
Don’t know	4.7%

Q19: Are you satisified with your lifestyle balance between work (including housework) and personal interests, etc? (Sample size=5,585)

Satisfied	32.3%
Satisfied to some degree	40.9%
Can’t say either	2.5%
Dissatisfied to some degree	17.4%
Dissatisfied	5.8%
Don’t know	1.0%

Q20: In order to better balance both work and personal lifestyles, what sort of activities do you think you want to take time to do? (Sample size=5,585, multiple answer)

Hobbies	47.4%
Get healthy	42.5%
Socialise with friends	34.1%
Quality time with family	29.9%
Find a rewarding job	16.7%
Volunteer work	14.2%
Study	13.2%
Local activities such as neighbourhood council	11.1%
Housework	9.3%
Child-rearing	6.8%
Care-giving	4.6%
Other	0.4%
Nothing in particular	7.2%
Don’t know	1.5%

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