世論 What Japan Thinks

One of Junichiro Koizumi’s (a recent Prime Minister of Japan) legacies are the twin energy-saving initiatives, Cool Biz for the summer, and in this survey conducted by NRC (Japan Research Centre), Warm Biz.

Demographics

Between the 30th of January and the 11th of February 2008 1,200 people from NRC’s online monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 605 were feamel, 75 were in their teens, 181 in their twenties, 215 in their thirties, 184 in their forties, 221 in their fifties, 192 in their sixties, and 132 in their seventies.

Our office is sure to stick up the posters every summer and winter promoting the campaigns, although the effort put into carrying them out is minimal, if not often nonexistant. Today, as most days of the winter, the temperature in the office was a comfortable 24 degrees Celcius, 4 degrees over the recommended maximum. Last night’s and this morning’s train was also rather hot, although that could have had something to do with both times being jammed in tight!

Research results

Q1: Do you know about Warm Biz? (Sample size=1,200)

Yes	55.3%
Just heard the term	24.3%
Never heard of it	20.4%

Awareness has slightly dropped since the same time last year. By sex there was little variation, but only 26.7% of teenagers and 42.0% in their twenties knew about it. As a comparison, knowledge of Warm Biz in September 2007 was 81.7%.

Q2: Do you expect to see energy savings or environment protection effects from Warm Biz? (Sample size=1,200)

Have big expectations	10.3%
Have some expectations	46.3%
Have little expectations	16.6%
Have no expectations	7.3%
Don’t know	19.6%

There has been a slight increase in the percentages expecting to see benefits over the course of the last two and a half years.

Q3: Do you agree with the Warm Biz initiatives? (Sample size=1,200)

Strongly agree	34.3%
Agree a little	40.3%
Disagree a little	2.7%
Strongly disagree	1.3%
Don’t know	21.6%

The numbers have very much held steady over the last two years. Women support it more than men, however; 78.2% of women express some degree of support whereas only 70.9% of men do. However, Cool Biz has yet more support, with 82.9% behind it when questioned last September.

Q4: Is Warm Biz promoted in your workplace? (Sample size=796)

Yes	19.3%
No	36.2%
Don’t know	44.5%

The numbers not promoting it has dropped over time, but the don’t knows have increased rather than promoters. Last year almost double the number of people (36.2%) said their workplace promoted Cool Biz.

Q5: What kinds of Warm Biz activities do you try to do at your workplace? (Sample size=783, multiple answer)

Wear warm underwear	38.7%
Turn off heaters in unused areas	34.2%
Wear thick, long socks	25.0%
Wear a vest, cardigan, etc	24.8%
Use a lap blanket, cushion	16.1%
Pay attention to opening and closing blinds	8.3%
Other	1.0%
Nothing in particular	30.0%

Note that even people in offices not following the Warm Biz do things to try to keep warm. By sex, women were much more likely than men to do anything.

Q6: Do you think Warm Biz should be established country-wide? (Sample size=1,200)

Strongly think so	7.9%
Perhaps think so	35.9%
Perhaps think not	26.7%
Don’t think so at all	4.1%
Don’t know	25.4%

The number supporting the permanent establishment of Warm Biz has steadily grown, but it’s still not as popular as Cool Biz.

Q7: In your everyday life, What do you try to do to prevent global warming? (Sample size=1,200, multiple answer)

Be sure to turn off taps	58.6%
Set heaters to 20 degrees and coolers to 28 degrees	42.1%
Be sure to unplug devices when not in use	40.5%
Use remaining bath water for washing clothes	39.3%
Refuse plastic bags at the supermarket	33.4%
Don’t overwrap shopping	31.1%
When driving, don’t idle, don’t brake, accelerate hard	29.9%
Close the lid on heated toilet seats	29.7%
Try to buy eco products	19.5%
Take part in tree-planting activities	1.7%
Nothing in particular	13.8%

Barring driving, women were much more likely than men to be environmentally positive.