世論 What Japan Thinks

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The Cabinet Office Japan recently carried out a survey into society.

Demographics

Between the 20th of January and the 6th of February 2011 10,000 people aged 20 or older selected at random from residency registers from all over the country were approached for interview and 6,338 people agreed to a face-to-face interview. 53.8% of the sample were female, 7.9% in their twenties, 14.0% in their thirties, 16.6% in their forties, 17.2% in their fifties, 23.4% in their sixties, 15.7% in their seventies, and 5.4% aged eighty or older.

Comparing the results of Q18 with the same question in a previous survey from 2008 (see Q15), one item going downhill fast is diplomacy – 22.7% in 2008 to 46.3% this year – which is most likely a result of the Senkaku Islands incident.

Research results

Q14: Local and national government offer various consultations, libraries, sports facilities, and other public services. Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with today’s public services? (Sample size=6,338)

Satisfied	9.9%
Somewhat satisfied	43.8%
Somewhat dissatisfied	29.9%
Dissatisfied	10.3%
Don’t know	6.1%

Q15: What do you think about the following opinions regarding public services?

Q15A: Certain public services should be privatised. (Sample size=6,338)

Think so	41.2%
Perhaps think so	33.6%
Perhaps don’t think so	12.0%
Don’t think so	6.2%
Don’t know	6.9%

Q15B: Certain public services should be run by NPOs (Non-profit organisations) or volunteer groups. (Sample size=6,338)

Think so	29.0%
Perhaps think so	36.0%
Perhaps don’t think so	17.0%
Don’t think so	9.4%
Don’t know	8.6%

Q16: Overall, how much do you think the national government reflects on how the citizens are thinking and what opinions they hold? (Sample size=6,338)

Reflects a lot	1.2%
Reflects to some degree (to SQ)	17.3%
Doesn’t reflect much (to SQ)	58.1%
Doesn’t reflect at all (to SQ)	20.5%
Don’t know	2.8%

Q16SQ: What do you think they should do in order to relect the citizens’ opinions and thoughts better? (Sample size=6,083)

Politicians should listen well to the voice of the people	27.5%
Citizens should be interested in national government	20.2%
There should be more venues when citizens can participate	15.3%
Citizens should make a conscious choice when voting	15.3%
Government should listen well to popular opinion	14.1%
Media should clearly express the opinions of citizens	5.1%
Other	0.7%
Don’t know	1.8%

Q17: Looking at the current situation Japan is in, which of the following areas are heading in a good direction? (Sample size=6,338, multiple answer)

Science and technology	27.0%
Medical, welfare	22.4%
Communications, distribution	16.7%
Disaster prevention	14.8%
Public order	13.3%
Education	13.2%
Public transport punctuality	12.5%
Natural environment	10.9%
Culture	10.9%
Internationalisation	10.2%
Resources, energy	8.6%
Living environment	6.6%
Food supply	4.8%
Regional disparity	3.8%
Land, homes	3.1%
National character	3.0%
Defense	2.6%
Prices	2.4%
Economic strength	1.9%
Business climate	1.9%
Employment, working conditions	1.7%
Diplomacy	1.7%
Trends in society	0.9%
Public finances	0.7%
Other	0.1%
Nothing, don’t know	26.4%

Q18: Looking at the current situation Japan is in, which of the following areas are heading in a bad direction? (Sample size=6,338, multiple answer)

Business climate	57.7%
Public finances	55.7%
Employment, working conditions	52.3%
Diplomacy	46.3%
Economic strength	39.4%
Prices	32.4%
Defense	27.0%
Regional disparity	25.2%
Medical, welfare	23.6%
Food supply	22.1%
Trends in society	21.9%
Public order	21.1%
Natural environment	20.1%
Education	18.7%
Resources, energy	17.1%
National character	14.1%
Living environment	12.8%
Internationalisation	11.3%
Land, homes	7.8%
Public transport punctuality	6.5%
Disaster prevention	4.5%
Science and technology	4.3%
Culture	4.0%
Communications, distribution	3.0%
Other	0.5%
Nothing, don’t know	3.8%

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