世論 What Japan Thinks

I don’t know if it’s seasonal or just that I’ve been prompted to recall them by translating this survey, but there does seem to have been rather a number of advertisements for premium beer on the television and in print these days. The survey that prompted this recall was on my MyVoice into premium beer.

Demographics

Over the first five days of October 2007 16,882 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample was female, 17% in their twenties, 40% in their thirties, 27% in their forties, and 16% in their fifties. Note that since the legal drinking age is 20, no teenagers took part in this survey.

The exact definition of “premium beer” is not discussed, but it is presumably based on price differentiation. Q3 lists the main beers that are considered to be premium. For me, Yebisu is the only one in the list I’d choose; Guinness, a brew I like back in the UK, is brewed under licence here and has a very unpleasant bitter, tarry aftertaste.

Research results

Q1: In normal circumstances, do you differentiate between premium beers and standard beers, happoshu, etc? (Sample size=16,882)

I differentiate depending on scene, feelings, food, etc	26.1%
I don’t differentiate depending on scene, feelings, food, etc	31.0%
Can’t say either way	42.9%

Q2: In normal circumstances, which kinds of beer do you often drink? (Sample size=16,882, multiple answer)

Standard beer	40.1%
Happoshu	36.2%
Third-sector beer-like brew	21.5%
Premium beer	16.0%
Other beer	2.6%
Don’t drink beer (to end)	13.0%
Don’t drink alcohol at all (to end)	19.2%
No answer (to end)	0.2%

Q3: Which premium beers have you drunk? (Sample size=beer drinkers, multiple answer)

Yebisu	54.0%
The Premium Malts	38.2%
Kirin Ichiban Shibori Premium	34.5%
Yebisu Black	30.9%
Prime Time	26.7%
Ginga Kogen Beer	20.4%
Kirin Braumeister	19.8%
Ichiban Shibori Muroka	18.0%
Guinness	17.6%
Hojun	10.5%
Maroyaka Yeast	9.9%
Golden Hop	9.0%
Nippon Premium	6.7%
Heartland Beer	6.0%
Kohaku no Toki	5.8%
Fujisan	5.0%
Jukusen	4.0%
Asahi Kita no Shokunin Nagajuku	3.9%
Pilsner Premier	2.6%
Edel Pils	2.1%
Other premium beer	3.3%
None of the above	12.4%
No answer	2.8%

Q4: Which premium beer do you drink the most? (Sample size=beer drinkers)

Yebisu	29.0%
The Premium Malts	18.0%
Kirin Ichiban Shibori Premium	12.9%
Prime Time	7.3%
Yebisu Black	4.2%
Ichiban Shibori Muroka	3.6%
Kirin Braumeister	2.7%
Guinness	1.8%
Gingaa Kogen Beer	1.5%
Asahi Kita no Shokunin Nagajuku	1.0%
Golden Hop	0.9%
Hojun	0.9%
Nippon Premium	0.7%
Maroyaka Yeast	0.6%
Kohaku no Toki	0.5%
Jukusen	0.5%
Fujisan	0.5%
Heartland Beer	0.5%
Edel Pils	0.2%
Pilsner Premier	0.1%
Other premium beer	0.8%
None in particular	10.9%
No answer	0.8%

Q5: Why do you choose premium beers? (Sample size=premium beer drinkers, multiple answer)

Delicious	49.5%
Flavour I like	35.4%
Has high-class feel	19.9%
Has full-bodied taste	18.8%
Has rich tase	14.2%
From maker with good reputation	12.6%
Has high-quality image	11.2%
Thirst-quenching	10.1%
Has appealing packaging	7.4%
Has appealing name	6.7%
Has that special something	6.1%
Friends rate it highly	4.1%
Something to offer guests	3.6%
Has promotional campaign	3.4%
Good advertising	3.0%
Currently in vogue	2.8%
Best-seller	0.5%
None of the above	10.0%
No answer	1.4%

Q6: When do you drink premium beers? (Sample size=premium beer drinkers, multiple answer)

When I want to drink something rich	30.0%
When I’m in the mood for one	20.1%
On a special day for me	18.9%
When I want to give myself a treat	14.8%
When I want a relaxing drink	14.6%
When I’m happy	14.2%
When I want to take a breather	14.1%
When I want to cheer myself up	13.7%
When I want to recover from fatigue	11.4%
When I drink with visitors	10.5%
To go with food	10.2%
When drinking with close friends	9.1%
When I want to get pleasently drunk	8.2%
When I get some unplanned cash	5.7%
When I go to a stylish restaurant, etc	5.6%
Other	3.0%
Nothing in particular	12.8%
No answer	1.3%

Q7: At what times do you drink premium beers? (Sample size=premium beer drinkers, multiple answer)

1 am to 2 am	1.5%
2 am to 3 am	0.9%
3 am to 4 am	0.5%
4 am to 5 am	0.3%
5 am to 6 am	0.4%
6 am to 7 am	1.1%
7 am to 8 am	2.7%
8 am to 9 am	2.8%
9 am to 10 am	2.1%
10 am to 11 am	1.3%
11 am to noon	0.9%
Noon to 1 pm	1.6%
1 pm to 2 pm	1.2%
2 pm to 3 pm	0.6%
3 pm to 4 pm	0.7%
4 pm to 5 pm	0.9%
5 pm to 6 pm	3.4%
6 pm to 7 pm	17.5%
7 pm to 8 pm	44.3%
8 pm to 9 pm	43.4%
9 pm to 10 pm	32.6%
10 pm to 11 pm	21.7%
11 pm to midnight	11.8%
Midnight to 1 am	5.8%
No answer	1.2%