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.

In part three of this survey I liked Q11; Better Red Than Dead is not a popular option at all! In Q15, over seven in ten fear a war involving Japan, which to me seems most unlikely. The only circumstance I can see involving Japan is North Korea attacking South Korea, and the only circumstance I can see for that is Kim Jong-il deciding to go out in a blaze of glory, although I hope that his recent stroke has debilitated him enough so he is unable to do anything quite as silly as that.

Research results

Q11: If Japan were invaded, what would you do? (Sample size=1,781)

Sign up to fight with the SDF	6.2%
Support the SDF in some way	49.9%
Participate in guerrilla warfare	1.9%
Perform some form of passive resistance	23.0%
Not resist in any way	8.1%
Other	1.0%
Don’t know	10.1%

Q12: Do you think it is necessary within the education system to increase feelings for protecting the country amongst citizens? (Sample size=1,781)

Necessary to raise within the education system	67.0%
Not necessary to raise within the education system	22.5%
Don’t know	10.6%

Q13: Do you think the USA-Japan security alliance is useful for the peace and security of Japan? (Sample size=1,781)

Useful	31.3%
Probably useful	45.0%
Probably not useful	11.9%
Not useful	4.3%
Don’t know	7.4%

Q14: In order to protect the security of Japan, which of the following do you think should be done? (Sample size=1,781)

Keep the current USA-Japan alliance as is to protect Japan together with the SDF	77.3%
Cancel the USA-Japan alliance and protect Japan with the SDF alone	9.9%
Cancel the USA-Japan alliance and reduce or elminate the SDF	4.2%
Other	1.4%
Don’t know	7.2%

Q15: Thinking about the current state of the world, do you think there is a danger that Japan will get involved in war? (Sample size=1,781)

Is a danger (to SQ1)	26.6%
Perhaps is a danger (to SQ1)	42.6%
Perhaps little danger (to SQ2)	19.3%
No danger (to SQ2)	6.5%
Don’t know	4.9%

Q15SQ1: Why do you think there is a danger? (Sample size=1,233, multiple answer)

Because there are international tensions, etc	75.4%
Because Japan has insufficient military strength	19.5%
Because the United Nations does not operate with sufficient effective	31.9%
Because of the USA-Japan security alliance	16.7%
Other	1.7%
Don’t know	1.9%

Q15SQ2: Why do you think there is not a danger? (Sample size=460, multiple answer)

Because the SDF exists	7.0%
Because of the USA-Japan security alliance	45.0%
Because the United Nations promotes peace	32.2%
Because international tensions are low	16.7%
Because Japan has a war-renouncing constitution	38.9%
Because the citizen’s awareness for protecting Japan is strong	7.4%
Other	3.3%
Don’t know	5.7%

Q16: Regarding Japan’s peace and security, which of the following are you interested in? (Sample size=1,781)

Relations between the USA and Russia	17.1%
Middle-East situation	31.8%
Relations between the USA and China	30.9%
Korean Peninsula situation	56.8%
South-East Asia situation	13.5%
Control, disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, missiles, etc	26.3%
State of US military affairs in countries around Japan	20.0%
Russian forces stationed in the Northern Territories	19.4%
Chinese forces modernisation, naval activities	30.4%
International terrorist organisation activities	43.7%
Other	0.7%
Nothing in particular	6.9%
Don’t know	4.0%

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