世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

Although Observing Japan beat me to the punch by already presented extracts from this survey, I will, as is my wont, present the full results of a look by the Cabinet Office Japan at the SDF and defense.

Demographics

Between the 15th and 25th of January 2009 1,781 randomly selected members of the public aged 20 or older completed a face-to-face survey. Initially, 3,000 people were selected, but 40.6%, or 1,219 people, did not take part due to having moved, not being in, refusing, etc. Of those who took part, 52.0% were female, 8.5% in their twenties, 13.9% in their thirties, 16.0% in their forties, 20.6% in their fifties, 23.0% in their sixties, and 18.0% aged seventy or older. 27.5% lived near a military facility, 69.5% did not, and 3.1% didn’t know. However, the definition of “near” was not given.

The SDF, or Self-Defense Force, is the Japanese not-really-a-military-honest force that defends these shores and occasionally forays further afield, such as spending a couple of years hiding in their barracks in Iraq.

Part one of this survey had a good example of trying to get the results one wants from a survey. For Q3 they presented a card describing the relative strengths of Japan’s SDF versus China, Taiwan and the two Koreas, while omitting to say that all the other countries have conscription, and Japan’s spending on hardware makes their smaller number of tanks and planes less significant than it seems by just looking at the raw data.

Research results

Q1: Are you interested in issues regarding the SDF, defence, etc? (Sample size=1,781)

Extremely interested (to SQ1)	14.1%
Interested to some degree (to SQ1)	50.6%
Not really interested (to SQ2)	28.1%
Not interested at all (to SQ2)	6.3%
Don’t know	0.8%

Q1SQ1: Why are you interested in issues regarding the SDF, defence, etc? (Sample size=1,153)

Because they are issues related to Japanese peace and independence	40.8%
Because due to their responses to large-scale disasters, etc they are connected to the lives of citizens	28.6%
Because they are issues related to the security of international society	20.8%
Because they use taxpayers’ money	4.7%
Because it is often a topic in the mass media, etc	3.2%
Because the SDF is not needed	0.6%
Other	1.0%
Don’t know	0.3%

Q1SQ2: Why are you not interested in issues regarding the SDF, defence, etc? (Sample size=613)

Because I don’t understand the SDF, defence issues very well	39.3%
Because they are not related to my life	30.7%
Because there are no pressing military threats	21.7%
Because the SDF is not needed	2.4%
Other	0.7%
Don’t know	5.2%

Q2: Overall, do you have a good or bad impression of the SDF? (Sample size=1,781)

Good impression	19.5%
Perhaps a good impression	61.4%
Perhaps a bad impression	12.3%
Bad impression	1.9%
Don’t know	5.0%

The respondents were shown a card showing the relative strengths of the two Koreas, China and Taiwan versus Japan and the US stationed in Japan and Korea, then asked the following question.

Q3: Overall, do you think it would be better to increase the SDF, keep it as is, or reduce it? (Sample size=1,781)

Better to increase	14.1%
Current levels are fine	65.1%
Better to decrease	10.7%
Don’t know	10.1%

Q4: The SDF has various responsibilities and work, but to you, for what purposes does the SDF exist? (Sample size=1,781, multiple answer)

To maintain the safety of the country (protect from invasion)	70.0%
To maintain public order	41.8%
To assist at large-scale disasters	78.4%
To participate in international peacekeeping activities	43.6%
To cooperate with citizens (public works, support citizens’ sporting events, clear unexploded bombs, etc)	24.7%
To respond to missile attacks	19.6%
To respond to unidentified ships, armed agent provocateurs	25.7%
Other	0.4%
Don’t know	1.1%

Q5: What do you think the SDF should put effort into? (Sample size=1,781, multiple answer)

Maintaining the safety of the country (protecting from invasion)	60.1%
Maintaining public order	39.0%
Assisting at large-scale disasters	73.8%
Participating in international peacekeeping activities	44.3%
Cooperating with citizens (public works, supporting citizens’ sporting events, clearing unexploded bombs, etc)	21.4%
Responding to missile attacks	17.1%
Responding to unidentified ships, armed agent provocateurs	25.3%
Other	0.2%
Don’t know	1.1%

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]