世論 What Japan Thinks

Here’s a quick but fun survey from goo Ranking for your Sunday enjoyment; what did you feel uncomfortable about after starting your very first job after graduation.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of March 2008 1,036 people from the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.7% were male, 7.0% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 30.1% in their thirties, 27.0% in their forties, 10.9% in their fifties, and 10.2% aged sixty or over. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample. Only the single people were asked today’s questions.

When I started in a Japanese company because I knew so little of the language and the customs everything felt strange! Perhaps oddest was getting a uniform; not just a jacket, but also official trousers made out of extremely itchy nylon and cut to Japanese shapes. I lasted 5 minutes in them before I consigned them to the back of the wardrobe.
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Japan industry has the reputation amongst many foreigners for not using IT to the fullest in the office environment, so this survey from JR Tokai Express Research Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com may dispel or reinforce (is 50% comparatively high or low?) these stereotypes regarding groupware.

Demographics

On the 28th of April 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in the private sector completed an internet-based questionnaire. 67.3% of the sample were male, 15.5% in their twenties, 46.7% in their thirties, 31.5% in their forties, 5.8% in their fifties, and 0.6% in their sixties.

I used to use Cybozu in the office, which was a nice product even though it was mostly just schedule management I did. Last year I had to migrate to the new corporate home-brew effort that is… Ahh, I wrote two paragraphs about what it is, but then I remembered that my boss sometimes reads the blog.
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When your get-up-and-go has got up and gone, what do you do? That’s the question that goo Ranking asked recently. The answers were also ranked for men and women.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of March 2008 1,036 people from the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.7% were male, 7.0% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 30.1% in their thirties, 27.0% in their forties, 10.9% in their fifties, and 10.2% aged sixty or over. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample. Only the single people were asked today’s questions.

For me, I find a blog and moan to get all of the negative emotions out of way!
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About the only radio I hear is when I visit the union shop at work and they have a radio playing in the background, but all the English radio idents grate on me! To find out about the habits of the average person, JR Tokai Express Research Inc performed a survey, reported on by japan.internet.com, into radio.

Demographics

Between the 8th and 10th of April 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research online monitor group successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.3% of the sample was female, 2.4% were in their teens, 17.0% in their twenties, 38.2% in their thirties, 27.3% in their forties, 7.9% in their fifties, 6.7% in their sixties, and 0.6% aged seventy or older.

Note that digital radio started broadcasting on the 1st of December 2006. I’ve never listened to it, unless hire cars have had it, but even then it would never have been more than 20 seconds I listened for. In addition, since I almost never listen to the radio, I can’t recall ever hearing a URL or an email address on an advertisement.
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Although most guides to Japan tell you that credit cards are not widely accepted in Japan, that is becoming less and less of a problem every year as people start using credit cards more often. This recent survey from MyVoice into credit card usage, the second time this has been conducted, shows how monthly spending averages are increasing.

Demographics

Over the first five days of March 2008 14,886 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 16% in their fifties.

This year I’ve just got a new card from Conan (the DIY store, not the barbarian or the detective) and I’ve quit using but not got round to cancelling my Asahi Bank Visa which used to be Miffy-branded, but then they changed the design to a boring floppy-eared rabbit photo without telling me. I also want to apply for an Daiei credit card as they do Hello Kitty branding, so getting a revoltingly pink one for use overseas would be rather entertaining.

I also have a gold card from my employer, but it’s pretty useless with the only bonus being free entry into rather naff gold card lounges at airports, and as I have to use it for business trip expenses which they don’t refund until after the statement comes, the company gets a percentage of the money spent in fees and doesn’t need to pay the employees for about two months after the expense.

If you want to look more at Japanese credit card designs, I’ve found two galleries, Credit Card Navi and Credit Card Design.
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An important part of any technical person’s job is, I believe, to keep up with the latest innovations, and one way of doing so is to read White Papers published by companies that describe their advances in research and development. This recent report published on japan.internet.com and conducted by JR Tokai Express Research Inc into White Papers looks at the habits of Japanese.

Demographics

On the 3rd of April 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in either private or public industry completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 83.6% were male, 10.3% in their twenties, 41.5% in their thirties, 36.1% in their forties, 10.6% in their fifties, and 1.5% in their sixties..

There is the other kind of White Paper, that published by governments as forerunners to drafting of bills or for explanations of policies. I cannot say I have read any for sure, but I may have glanced at one or two, or they may just have been draft bills.

I’ve always wanted to write a White Paper, but as my employer emphasises patents as the key way of disclosing new ideas, this is what I end up producing.
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With the Nova bunny finally succumbing to myxomatosis last year, there has been a good number of people with nowhere to learn English. So, this recent survey from JR Tokai Express Research Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com regarding studying English conversation looks at if people might be interested in virtually learning the language.

Demographics

On the 29th of March 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in either public or private industry completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 77.9% of the sample was male, 12.4% in their twenties, 41.2% in their thirties, 34.5% in their forties, 10.3% in their fifties, and 1.5% in their sixties.

English conversation differs from actual English language study, as it is based on the theory that if you sit a Japanese person beside an English speaker, there will be a miraculous transfer of the contents of the victim’s wallet language abilities. There are of course a few good schools and teachers, but the mass market companies are not much more than social clubs for both the students and teachers.
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Here’s a quickie but interesting ranking survey from DISMDRIVE Research into if one had the cash to invest, what stocks might one like to buy.

Demographics

Between the 27th of February and 3rd of March 2008 7,345 members of the DIMSDRIVE Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire.

Before I go any further, I better make it clear that this is merely a translation of a survey, and I have no direct investments in the companies listed, I am not a professional, please do not make investment decisions based on this article, and other disclaimers…

I’m surprised, but then also not suprised, that JAL rates so highly, as they seem to be on dodgy financial ground, but they are the national carrier, so perhaps symbolism and patriotism outweighs financial due diligence.

It’s also interesting to note that there are few out-and-out technology companies and certainly no internet-focused companies on the list; Nintendo is perhaps the closest, but they sell hardware as much as software, Sony is mostly home electronics, and SoftBank is as much about infrastructure and handset resale as communication. Seven Bank, a new online and offline bank run by the same group that owns the 7-11 convenience store chain is perhaps the most revolutionary company on the list.
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Ahh, excessive overtime, and especially the dreaded euphemistic-named “service overtime”, or unpaid overtime in proper English, is perhaps the biggest culture shock to foreign office workers when they come to Japan. We all have our pet theories about why, but this recent survey conducted by goo Research and reported on by CNET Japan into overtime and work efficiency perhaps answers some questions.

Demographics

Between the 22nd and 24th of February 2008 1,080 members of the goo Research monitor panel employed as businesspeople completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 68.2% were male, 24.5% in their twenties, 24.9% in their thirties, 25.3% in their forties, and 25,3% aged fifty or older.

My employer is one of the rare companies that has embraced Work-Life Balance as a slogan at least. However, some recent news that I don’t think I should mention has revealed that they are about to take a very bold, perhaps even unique in Japanese large companies, step to address one issue regarding this balance. We shall see how it all pans out…

The title of the survey implies that there was some questions regarding how people view the effectiveness of overtime; outside crunch times there is a general perception amongst foreigners that the Japanese spin out an 8 hour working day over 12 or more hours, so I’d have loved to have seen the outcome of questions regarding that issue. Sadly, the original Japanese article did not report this aspect.
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I don’t think I’ve mis-sent email last year, and I can only think of two incidents in the last few years where I have. One was in the office sending to my ex-team instead of my current team, so no problem, but the other was one I meant to send privately to a single person on a mailing list but I accidentally sent it to all, complete with a none-to-flattering portrayal of the list owner. Surprisingly enough I was summarily banned… Sadly, this recent report on japan.internet.com rearding a survey conducted by JR Tokai Express Research into mis-sent electronic mail at the workplace doesn’t dwell on the consequences suffered!

Demographics

On the 13th of March 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in either the public or private sector completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 81.2% of the sample was male, 8.8% in their twenties, 39.4% in their thirties, 38.8% in their forties, 11.8% in their fifties, and 1.2% in their sixties.

I’m surprised in Q1SQ2 that as many as a third of wrongly-addressed mail recipients replied to say the mail was incorrectly sent! At work we are supposed to set our mail programs to display a confirmation message before sending to give you a last chance to review data, although I don’t know how effective that is, or indeed if many people actually bother with it.
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