世論 What Japan Thinks

With the overblown fuss and much misunderstanding in the foreigner community about fingerprinting and the horrors of biometric scanning, this recent survey reported on by japan.internet.com and conducted by Marsh Inc into biometrics provides some insight into how the Japanese view this matter.

Demographics

Between the 4th and 8th of April 2008 300 members of the Marsh internet monitor group successfully completed a private online questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, and 20.0% were in their teens, 20.0% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 14.7% in their fifties, and 5.3% aged sixty or older.

I’ve not actually used any biometric identification system (excluding US immigration!), although my wife used to have a mobile phone with a fingerprint scanner, but rather than use it for unlocking the phone, she used it for a virtual pet game where scanning one’s finger initiated the petting action!

Research results

First, people were asked if they recognised the term biometrics; 88.3% said they knew the term.

Q1: Do you feel resistance to using biometrics? (Sample size=300)

Feel none at all	13.0%
Feel a bit of resistance when registering data	4.7%
Always feel uncomfortable using it	2.3%
Feel strong resistance, don’t think I’ll use it	5.0%
Not used it, but don’t feel any particular resistance	46.7%
Don’t know as I’ve not used it	27.7%
Other	1.7%

Q2: Have you ever used biometrics identification? (Sample size=300)

Yes (to SQs)	20.3%
No	79.7%

Q2SQ1: What kinds of biometric identification system have you used? (Sample size=61)

	Votes	Percentage
Fingerprint	50	82.0%
Finger, palm vein	20	32.8%
Face	9	14.8%
Voice	2	3.3%
Handwriting	2	3.3%
Iris	1	1.6%
Other	0	0.0%

Q2SQ2: On what kinds of devices have you used biometric identification? (Sample size=61)

	Votes	Percentage
Mobile phone	19	31.1%
ATM	17	27.9%
Room entry/exit	14	23.0%
Own computer	13	21.3%
Work computer	12	19.7%
Mobile device	3	4.9%
Other	4	6.6%