世論 What Japan Thinks

Second only to teeth, smoking is one of my favourite subjects to cover on this blog, so I hope you too enjoy this recent survey from MyVoice on this very subject.

Demographics

Over the first five days of October 2008 14,473 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 14% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older. Note that since the legal smoking age is 20 years old in Japan, no teenagers took part in this survey.

Note that taspo is an identity card that is needed in order to operate most cigarette machines to serve as proof that the person is holding a card issued to someone over 20.

Research results

Q1: Do you smoke? (Sample size=14,473)

Currently smoke	23.6%
Used to smoke (to end of survey)	23.2%
Never smoked (to end of survey)	53.1%

Q2: About how many cigarettes do you smoke per day? (Sample size=current smokers)

One or less	2.3%
Two to five	6.9%
Six to ten	16.4%
Eleven to fifteen	16.6%
Sixteen to twenty	32.9%
Twenty-one to thirty	16.6%
Thirty-one or more	8.1%
No answer	0.2%

Q3: Where do you usually by cigarettes? (Sample size=current smokers, multiple answers)

Convenience store	80.0%
Vending machine	29.3%
Supermarket, discount store	18.7%
Tobacco shop	18.4%
Railway kiosk, shop	11.8%
Bar	1.8%
Other	4.0%
Don’t buy them myself	1.0%
No answer	1.0%

Q4: How do you usually buy cigarettes? (Sample size=current smokers)

One pack at a time	44.3%
Few packs at a time	23.1%
By the carton	32.0%
No answer	0.6%

Q5: Do you have a taspo card? (Sample size=current smokers)

Yes	35.2%
No (to SQs)	64.2%
Don’t know what taspo is	0.2%
No answer	0.4%

Q5SQ1: Do you want to apply for a taspo card? (Sample size=non-carriers)

Want to apply	4.0%
Perhaps want to apply	13.6%
Perhaps don’t want to apply	23.6%
Don’t want to apply	58.3%
No answer	0.5%

Q5SQ2: Do you feel it is inconvenient not to have a taspo card? (Sample size=non-carriers)

Very inconvenient	16.4%
A little inconvenient	30.8%
Don’t really feel it inconvenient	26.9%
Don’t feel it inconvenient at all	24.7%
No answer	1.2%