世論 What Japan Thinks

This week Macromill Research conducted an urgent survey into immediate lifeline support for those that experienced the Great Tohoku Earthquake.

Demographics

Over the 16th and 17th of March 2011 (the Wednesday and Thursday after the earthquake on Friday the 11th) 148,222 members of the Macromill monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. No demographic breakdown was presented, however. 3,140 respondents were affected by the earthquake.

It’s interesting that 31.1% of those unaffected said that they wanted to or had given blood; at work this week we had our regular visit from the blood donation van, yet when it was announced on the PA there was no mention of encouraging people to give this time round to help out, which did seem odd. Being from a mad cow country, however, I cannot donate here in Japan.

This coming financial year I think I reach my once every ten years one month holiday; I am seriously thinking about volunteering to help out up north. I think I’ll also suggest to those further up the chain that this year’s work experience, where a few people select/get selected to work in a retail establishment to experience the front line, also offer the opportunity for people to volunteer to help the recovery of the affected areas.

Research results

Q1: What problems, worries do you have since the earthquake occured? (Sample size=3,140, those living in areas affected by the earthquake, multiple answer)

Lack of fuel for vehicles, stoves	88.3%
Difficult to get food	83.7%
Water supply has been cut, is unreliable	63.1%
Difficult to get toilet paper, other daily items	56.4%
Gas, electricity has been cut, is unreliable	35.9%
Cannot use toilet, lack of toilets	34.1%
No means for being evacuated to a safer location	24.5%
Cannot obtain, lack of medical, nursing care	24.0%
Difficult to get in touch with family, friends in the same prefecture	23.6%
Difficult to get in touch with family, friends in other prefectures	20.4%
Worried about public order, crime	18.4%
Insufficient heaters, insulation	13.3%
Cannot obtain any cash	10.8%
Difficult to get information from radio, television	4.6%
Cannot protect privacy	2.3%
Other	9.9%
Nothing in particular	1.0%

The answers to the above question were broken down by prefecture, with Miyagi being the most represented, with 965 respondents, or 30.7% of the total. As Miyagi was the worst affected by the earthquake, the people there, not suprisingly, has the most worries for most categories, including 31.0% worrying about crime and public order.

Q2: The shortage of which items are causing you problems in your daily life? (Sample size=3,140, those living in areas affected by the earthquake, multiple answer)

Vehicle fuel	81.4%
Food	73.1%
Heating fuel	57.4%
Water	50.4%
Batteries	48.0%
Toilet paper, tissue paper	35.8%
Portable gas stove, gas canisters	31.7%
Medical, first aid items	23.6%
Torches	23.6%
Disaster prevention goods	20.4%
Disposable nappies, sanitary product	18.6%
Masks	14.6%
Underwear	12.9%
Other clothes	8.1%
Towels	5.1%
Blankets	4.0%
Other	6.3%
Nothing in particular	3.4%

Q3: Since the earthquake, how are you obtaining disaster news and other day-to-day information? (Sample size=3,140, those living in areas affected by the earthquake, multiple answer)

Television	88.4%
Computer news web site	62.3%
Radio	61.7%
Newspaper	44.9%
Talking directly with friends, family	23.9%
Mobile phone news web site	22.5%
Local government, etc publications	18.3%
Twitter, other SNS	17.4%
Mobile phone email	15.4%
Computer email	11.2%
From supermarket, convenience store staff	5.5%
Movie sharing site	3.2%
Other	1.8%

Q4: After the earthquake, how did you you confirm the safety of friends, family? (Sample size=3,140, those living in areas affected by the earthquake, multiple answer)

Mobile phone email	74.6%
Mobile phone voice call	68.6%
Fixed-line phone call	41.8%
Computer email	19.0%
Public phone voice call	14.9%
Twitter, other SNS	9.8%
Messaging service from phone provider, etc	9.5%
Skype	3.3%
Other	2.6%

Q5: Would you cooperate if there was something that you could do to help those living in the affected areas? (Sample size=97,949, those living in areas not affected by the earthquake)

Definitely would cooperate	70.5%
Might cooperate	28.3%
Won’t cooperate	1.3%

Q6: What are you doing, are you thinking about doing to help those living in the affected areas? (Sample size=97,949, those living in areas not affected by the earthquake, multiple answer)

Donating money	82.5%
Trying not to stockpile food, make unnecessary purchases	74.5%
Saving electricity	73.9%
Trying not to make unnecessary phone calls, take unnecessary travel	59.2%
Collecting clothes, food, other items for donation	34.0%
Giving blood	31.1%
Volunteering to collect donations of money, food, clothes, etc	12.3%
Taking in evacuated families	6.4%
Volunteering to work in affected areas	6.1%
Other	1.9%
Nothing in particular	1.2%