世論 What Japan Thinks

Following up, in a way, on Saturday’s look at the taspo card, let’s look at smoking in Japan, according to a survey conducted by Central Research Services, Inc.

Demographics

2,000 people aged twenty or over were randomly selected to take part in this survey. 1,328 people of those selected took part in face-to-face interviews between the 6th and 9th of June 2008. Further demographic information was not provided. This was the 22nd time the survey has been conducted; the previous ones were in 1978, 1983, and every year since 1987.

Notice in Q1 there has been a slight rise in smoking rates. Unfortunately no historical information is provided for the demographic breakdown, so it’s difficult to see where the rise is coming from – is it more new smokers, or less people quitting? Is the problem under-age smokers getting addicted, or adults choosing to start?

Q4, giving the numbers bothered by smoking, is a bit difficult to interpret, as both smokers and non-smokers answered.

Research results

Q1: Are you a non-smoker? (by year)

Year	Non-smoker rate
2004	72.7%
2005	71.6%
2006	71.5%
2007	73.7%
2008	71.5%

Q1A: Are you a non-smoker? (Sample size=1,328)

All	71.5%
Male	57.5%
Female	85.7%
Twenties	60.4%
Thirties	63.8%
Forties	67.8%
Fifties	67.8%
Sixty or older	81.7%

Q2: On average, how many cigarettes do you smoke per day? (Sample size=1,328)

None	71.5%
9 or less	3.5%
10 to 19	12.2%
20 to 29	9.6%
30 or more	3.2%

Q3: Do you want to cut down or quit smoking? (by year)

Year	Thinking of quitting	Cut down amount smoked	Don’t plan to change	Don’t know
2004	33.2%	22.1%	41.9%	2.8%
2005	33.8%	24.0%	38.1%	4.1%
2006	40.4%	24.2%	31.5%	3.9%
2007	38.3%	23.1%	36.3%	2.3%
2008	42.5%	23.5%	33.0%	1.1%

Q3: Do you want to cut down or quit smoking? (by demographic)

	Thinking of quitting	Cut down amount smoked	Don’t plan to change	Don’t know
Male	37.5%	24.9%	36.1%	1.4%
Female	57.4%	19.1%	23.4%	0.0%
Twenties	40.7%	23.7%	33.9%	1.7%
Thirties	49.4%	20.3%	29.1%	1.3%
Forties	52.3%	16.9%	30.8%	0.0%
Fifties	43.0%	20.9%	34.9%	1.2%
Sixty or older	30.0%	33.3%	35.6%	1.1%

Q4: Have you felt bothered by other people smoking? (by year)

Year	Felt bothered
2004	67.8%
2005	66.6%
2006	66.5%
2007	69.0%
2008	63.9%

Q4A: Have you felt bothered by other people smoking? (Sample size=1,328, by demographics)

	Yes	No
Male	55.5%	44.5%
Female	72.5%	27.5%
Twenties	61.1%	38.9%
Thirties	72.9%	27.1%
Forties	72.3%	27.7%
Fifties	61.4%	38.6%
Sixty or older	58.7%	41.3%

Q4SQ: Where have you felt bothered by other people smoking? (those bothered by smoke, multiple answer)

	2008	2007
Restaurant, cafe	50.5%	46.4%
On the street	31.3%	31.3%
Inside station, bus stop	25.1%	26.0%
Workplace	19.1%	18.2%
At home	12.4%	13.7%
Hospital	10.7%	14.7%
On train	9.9%	14.7%
School	1.9%	2.1%
Other	6.0%	4.9%
Don’t know	0.8%	0.8%