世論 What Japan Thinks

Macromill Research recently conducted a ranking survey into 2012 trends.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 3rd of December 2012 exactly 1,000 members of the Macromill monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female, and exactly 20% in each of their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties.

I find the votes for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Momoiro Clover Z rather surprising, as I thought they both would have a very narrow demographic of fan. Talking of fans, I remember seeing an interview with some of their fans. One of the group’s signature moves is stage diving, so the fans have a very particular way of linking arms for catching them that ensures no-one either accidentally (or deliberately) cops a feel.

Here’s a video of Ms Pamyu, which is also rather disordered…

Research results

Q1: How would you sum up the state of the world in 2012 in a single kanji character? (Sample size=1,000)

Rank	Kanji	Meaning	Votes
1	乱	Disorder	122
2	迷	Astray, lost	64
3	変	Unusual, change	38
4	絆	Bonds	33
5=	忍	Endure, put up with	19
5=	苦	Suffer	19
7	混	Mixed, confused	17
8	嘘	Falsehood	16
9=	動	Motion	14
9=	怒	Angry	14
9=	新	New	14
12=	不	Negative, non-	13
12=	暗	Darkness	13
12=	脱	Get rid of, usually followed by “nuclear power”	13
15=	復	Restore	11
15=	耐	Endure	11
15=	騒	Clamour	11
18=	惑	Perplexed	10
18=	政	Politics	10
18=	滞	Stagnation	10

Q2: Who do you think were the hit people, groups or teams of 2012? Select up to five. (Sample size=1,000, multiple answer)

Rank		Votes
1	Kyary Pamyu Pamyu	394
2	Sugi chan, comedian	378
3	Momoiro Clover Z, musical group	301
4	Nadeshiko Japan, female national football team	253
5	Rola, airhead	207
6	Rui Kurihara, fashion model	193
7	Yu Darvish, baseball player	166
8	Golden Bomber, visual kei group	164
9	Ayame Goriki, actress	157
10	Shinji Kagawa, Manchester United footballer	139
11	AKB48	131
12	Emi Takei, actress	110
13	Kei Nishikori, tennis player	92
14	Tori Matsuzaka, actor	91
15=	Male national football team	82
15=	Matsuko Deluxe, crossdresser	82
17	COWCOW, comedy duo	80
18	Ichiro Suzuki, baseball player	66
19=	Homare Sawa, Nadeshiko Japan captain	41
19=	Kazuyoshi Miura, King Kazu, footballer	41

Q3: What do you think were the hit products or services in 2012? Select up to five. (Sample size=1,000, multiple answer)

Rank		Votes
1	Tokyo Sky Tree	472
2	iPhone5	467
3	Shio koji, mouldy rice and salt	331
4	Solar eclipse	302
5	Maruchan seimen, premium instant noodles	201
6	LINE, smartphone chat app	164
7	Kumamon, bear mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture	137
8	Mushroom Garden, smartphone mushroom growing	127
9	Opening of restored JR Tokyo station front	113
10	LCC on domestic routes	104
11	Windows 8	77
12	50 degrees rinsing, to freshen up vegetables and meat before cooking	74
13	iPad mini	71
14	New Tokyo to Nagoya motorway	69
15	Toyoto Aqua, Japanese name for the Prius c	65
16	Robot cleaner HOM-BOT 2.0	62
17	Kirin Mets Cola, real diet coke	53
18	Long breath diet	50
19	Curvy dance	44
20	Garigari kun Rich, ice lollies	44

Q4: How would you sum up how you think 2013 will turn out in a single kanji character? (Sample size=1,000)

Rank	Kanji	Meaning	Votes
1	乱	Disorder	58
2	変	Unusual, change	47
3	新	New	38
4	混	Mixed, confused	33
5	進	Progress	30
6	改	Reformation	28
7	明	Bright	23
8=	希	Hope	20
8=	幸	Happiness	20
8=	復	Restore	20
11=	動	Motion	19
11=	楽	Music, ease	19
11=	迷	Astray, lost	19
14	望	Aspire	18
15	昇	Rise up	17
16	忍	Endure, put up with	16
17	暗	Darkness	15
18	和	Harmony, peace	13
19	躍	Dance	12
20	激	Violent	11