世論 What Japan Thinks

The second goo Ranking survey tonight is more serious, a look at what couples should talk through before marriage.

Demographics

Over the 5th and 6th of September 2011 1,112 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 70.8% of the sample were female, 13.5% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 28.1% in their thirties, 25.5% in their forties, 8.7% in their fifties, and 6.0% aged sixty or older. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

Looking at that list there’s probably just one or two I actually discussed at any length! Perhaps this list indicates that Japanese men in particular tend to be quite selfish and see themselves as the head of the household that can do whatever he wants, so this list is perhaps the bride-to-be ensuring that some ground rules are in place?

Ranking result

Q: What should couples talk through before marriage? (Sample size=1,112)

Rank		Score
1	How to manage the family budget	100
2	Whether to live with parents	99.8
3	Work (possibility of transfer, plans to change jobs, etc)	81.5
4	Children	76.6
5	Current bank balance	67.7
6	Current outstanding loans	63.4
7	Splitting of the housework	62.7
8	Associating with the relatives	48.8
9	Ideal husband and wife image	47.8
10	Nursing care for parents	45.2
11	How to pursue one’s hobbies	30.4
12	How to spend days off	25.6
13	How to hang out with members of the opposite sex after marriage	25.0
14	What insurance one has	24.1
15	Holiday promised (eg family holiday once a year)	20.3
16	One’s experiences with ex’s	8.4