世論 What Japan Thinks

Following up on the 12,000 yen cash handout to every resident, the Government of Japan is next having an Eco Point system, where for buying certain energy-efficient home electronics you get a 5% point award in return that you will be able to cash in for some as-yet not-very-well-specified items. To see what people think of this, Macromill Research recently conducted a survey on the Eco Point system.

Demographics

Over the 27th and 28th of April 2009 516 members of the Macromill monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was split exactly 50:50 male and female, and 20.0% of the respondents were in their twentes, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.0% aged sixty or older.

I’m not really sure of a good reason why people wouldn’t buy energy-efficient items in general. Thinking about it there are good reasons not to buy some items just because they have a stamp on them as often there is a higher price tag and the payback period may be longer than the lifetime of the item itself.

I also can’t help worrying that the stimulus package will encourage people to dispose of items which still have some life left in them, rendering a net negative effect on the environment. My television is a six year old standard tube-type television, but I see no reason why I should bin it now to buy a new set as it is still perfectly serviceable. However, looking at the results of Q4SQ1 almost half of the sample expect to see a positive environmental outcome.

Research results

Q1: Do you know about the “Eco Point” system that gives you points when you buy certain energy efficient home electrical items? (Sample size=516)

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Know about it in detail	3.9%	5.0%	2.7%
Know about it roughly	35.1%	39.5%	30.6%
Just heard about it	50.3%	46.5%	54.3%
Don’t know anything	10.7%	8.9%	12.4%

Those in their thirties were the most ignorant about the system.

Q2: Do you think you would want to use the Eco Point system? (Sample size=516)

Definitely want to use	17.6%
Perhaps want to use	45.9%
Can’t say either way	27.5%
Don’t think I want to use	7.0%
Don’t want to use at all	1.9%

There was little difference between the sexes, but younger people were slightly more keen to make use of the system.

Q3: What expectations do you have for the Eco Point system? (Sample size=516, multiple answer)

Increase in the number of goods, services that Eco Points can be exchanged for	68.8%
Broadening of the goods, services that give Eco Points	67.2%
Become easy to exchange or use Eco Points	34.1%
Due to the introduction of the system the environment improves	31.2%
Due to the introduction of the system the economy improves	23.6%
Other	4.7%

Q4: When you are buying home electricals in the future, would you want to buy low energy items? (Sample size=516)

Want to buy (to SQs)	37.8%
Perhaps want to buy (to SQs)	44.2%
Can’t say either way	16.3%
Perhaps don’t want to buy	1.2%
Don’t want to buy	0.6%

Q4SQ1: Why would you want to buy low energy home electricals? (Sample size=423, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=209	Female N=214
Because I can save on utility bills	87.9%	85.2%	90.7%
Because I can contribute to fighting global warming	58.9%	51.2%	66.4%
Because I can get Eco Points	46.6%	50.7%	42.5%
Because the functionality of the goods seems good	22.2%	22.0%	22.4%
Because the product image is good	9.5%	9.6%	9.3%
Other	1.2%	1.0%	1.4%

For those in their twenties, there was a significant 12 percentage points more than in the other age groups who wanted to get their Eco Points.

Q4SQ2: Which of the following low energy home electricals do you want to buy? (Sample size=423, multiple answer)

	Votes	Percentage
Digital terrestrial television	271	64.1%
Refrigerator	248	58.6%
Air conditioner	227	53.7%
Light bulbs, fittings	18.3	43.3%
Computer	172	40.7%
Microwave oven	145	34.3%
Rice cooker	116	27.4%
DVD recorder	10.3	24.3%
Food preparation equipment (range, etc)	75	17.7%
Other home electricals	54	12.8%