世論 What Japan Thinks

With the New Year soon to be upon us, japan.internet.com reported on a survey conducted by JR Tokai Express Research Inc into year end and new year holidays.

Demographics

On the 5th of December 2007 331 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in the public or private sector successfully completed an online questionnaire. 81.3% of the sample was male, 8.2% in their twenties, 37.2% in their thirties, 40.2% in their forties, 11.8% in their fifties, and 2.7% in their sixties.

My plans are sleeping, some housework, visiting the parents-in-law, and going to the cinema; we have tickets for Cha-cha. I think we also have a musical fitted into the schedule somewhere that might or might not be Rent. I have 10 days continuous holidays, from Friday the28th to Sunday the 6th inclusive.
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Despite being beaten to the punch by Japan Probe regarding a survey published by Matsushita Electrical Works (the company behind the National brand) on toilet usage, I’ll publish regardless the full details of their recent survey.

Demographics

During June 2007 1,036 married couples aged between 30 and 59 living in either the Kanto (around Tokyo) or Kansai (around Osaka) regions completed an internet-based questionnaire.

Today’s new Japanese phrase is 座りション, suwari-shon, and abbreviation of suwari-shouben, which translates as sitting pee. The usual phrase, 立小便 or 立ション, tachi-shouben or tachi-shon refers more usually to standing outside and urinating in public places. Indeed, I see far too often in Japan signs like the one above requesting the public not to do their business around this point. The red torii gate in the sign is to dissuade people by suggesting it would be sacreligious to relieve oneself on such a Shinto symbol. These anti-wee-wee wee red gates can be found in many places in Japan; coincidentally, when I went to visit Hampton Court near London, the palace of Henry the Eighth, I saw that round the banqueting hall crosses were painted around the skirting board to stop revellers relieving themselves. So, in one aspect at least, one can say that Japanese manners are still quite mediaeval!

I was going to have a poll here, but Japan Probe is ahead of me there too!
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[part 1] [part 2]

Given that according to some definition of lactose intolerant, perhaps as much as 90% or more of the Japanese population are lactose intolerant, and seven years ago over 14,000 Japanese drank staphylococcus-infected milk, one might expect to find relatively few milk-drinkers in Japan. However, this recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research into milk (and one previously on fermented milk products) suggests that the answer to Do the Japanese drink milk? is Yes indeed!

Demographics

Between the 17th and 25th of October 2007 7,517 members of the DIMSDRIVE Monitor group toop part in a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.0% of the sample was female, 1.0% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 33.0% in their thirties, 30.8% in their forties, 14.6% in their fifties, and 5.9% in their sixties. In addition, 13.1% lived alone, 22.8% in a two-person household, 25.0% in a three-person household, 24.8% in a four-person household, and 14.3% in a five or more-person household. 6.2% had an oldest child aged between 0 and 1, 5.5% with an oldest child aged between 2 and 3, 5.2% with an oldest child aged between 4 and preschool, 11.6% with an oldest child in elementary school, 5.5% with an oldest child in middle school, 18.9% with an oldest child in high school or above and still living at home, and 47.1% had no children living with them.

In the summer I drink milk over cereal, but in the winter it’s usually limited to just an ingredient in stews or cakes. When buying, I want to make the decision on price alone; usually the cheapest non-house brand so I don’t appear too stingy, although the wife usually has other ideas when she comes shopping with me.
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[part 1] [part 2]

Given that according to some definition of lactose intolerant, perhaps as much as 90% or more of the Japanese population are lactose intolerant, and seven years ago over 14,000 Japanese drank staphylococcus-infected milk, one might expect to find relatively few milk-drinkers in Japan. However, this recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research into milk (and one previously on fermented milk products) suggests that the answer to Do the Japanese drink milk? is Yes indeed!

Demographics

Between the 17th and 25th of October 2007 7,517 members of the DIMSDRIVE Monitor group toop part in a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.0% of the sample was female, 1.0% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 33.0% in their thirties, 30.8% in their forties, 14.6% in their fifties, and 5.9% in their sixties. In addition, 13.1% lived alone, 22.8% in a two-person household, 25.0% in a three-person household, 24.8% in a four-person household, and 14.3% in a five or more-person household. 6.2% had an oldest child aged between 0 and 1, 5.5% with an oldest child aged between 2 and 3, 5.2% with an oldest child aged between 4 and preschool, 11.6% with an oldest child in elementary school, 5.5% with an oldest child in middle school, 18.9% with an oldest child in high school or above and still living at home, and 47.1% had no children living with them.

Note that in Q2 the high frequency of milk consumption is contrasted with the small quantity that daily drinkers consume according to Q2SQ. This can partially be explained by the fact that milk in tea or coffee, or even as an ingredient in cakes or biscuits, count as milk consumption.

Also, the price of milk is due to increase for the first time in 30 years.
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The world is going digital, from digital television to digital audio, but what about one of the last hangovers from the analogue world, the humble calendar? With the end of the year approaching, will the desktop calendar move from on top of the PC to into the PC? To find out what’s happening in Japan, japan.internet.com reported on a survey conducted by JR Tokai Express Research Inc into this very topic of calendars.

Demographics

On the 30th of November 2007 334 members of JR Tokai Express Research’s online monitor group employed in either the public or private sector successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 81.3% of the sample was male, 10.0% in their twenties, 39.0% in their thirties, 35.3% in their forties, 12.4% in their fifties, and 3.3% in their sixties.

In my previous team we used to get a handful of free desktop calendars from a translator dispatch company, but now I suspect that with my employer’s heavy emphasis on compliance issues, these are treated as potential bribes or another method of receiving favourable treatment thus we are forbidden from accepting them.

On my home PC I occasionally download (and wifey does so often) wallpaper with a one- or two-month calendar featuring either Pinky or cute Neko no Kimochi cover models, although if you’re not a member you need to do a short survey before you get to the download page, I’m afraid, and the free samples for non-subscribers don’t have dates on them.

In January I translated an identical set of questions.
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Following on, I suppose, from the recent survey on bowel movements, MyVoice performed another survey, this time on perhaps one of the aftermaths of bowel movements, smells.

Demographics

Over the first five days of November 2007 19,910 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online survey. 54% of the sample was female, 1% in their teens, 16% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 28% in their forties, and 17% in their fifties.

In Q4 surely there must be a degree of respect for elders going on! Three or four of my bosses at work have spent many years perfecting that exquisite combination of stale beer, ciggies, coffee, natto, and general mouth rancidness that make my eyes water at twenty paces!

It might be interesting to cross-reference this against another MyVoice survey from a year and a half ago on deodorants.

Oh, and I haven’t a clue in Q5 and Q6 what a table is supposed to smell of!
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It’s coming up to the new year, so naturally there are a number of New Year Postcard surveys coming out. This time it is japan.internet.com reporting on one by goo Research into nengajo, New Year Postcards – hey, wasn’t the last one also by goo Research?

Demographics

Over the 22nd and 23rd of November 2007 1,093 members of the goo Research online monitor panel successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% were male, 16.3% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 21.9% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 12.0% aged sixty or older.

I ordered the first half of my New Year Cards last night, featuring Hello Kitty in a rat costume, of course. We bought from FujiFilm; if you are still to order, I’ve found an Amazon coupon for a discount on the basic price, free delivery and a 1,000 yen discount off your next order – we used a Cecile coupon, but it wasn’t as good value. Tonight we tried the second half using Kodak, but the web site is pretty useless and we found it impossible to check out and buy the cards!

Instead of the usual graph pictured at the top of the article I’ve got a picture of a mobile phone strap featuring a commemorative Year of the Rat Cat, Kitty chan herself. This can be ordered and delivered all around the world in time for the New Year from the internet’s finest vendor of… ack, you probably all know the sales pitch by heart by now; it’s just 420 yen from Strapya.

Finally, the kanji for the Year of Rat is 子, read as ko.
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With Kirin having previously announced a price rise in beer next February, and with Asahi today also making a similar announcement, it is timely to look at this survey conducted by goo Research in conjunction with the Yomiuri Shimbun into the rise in the price of beer.

Demographics

Little demographic information was given for this survey, bar that 1,092 people over the age of 20 were interviewed at the start of November 2007. Not even the sample sizes for the questions were listed!

It may be interesting to compare the results of this survey with a recent one on the rise in instant ramen prices.

One thing I’ve never understood is that comparable beers from all the three big brewers are the same price, and they are sold at almost the same price everywhere from the largest megastore to the smallest vending machine. Surely they cannot be running a cartel?

Note that currently a 350 millilitre can of beer retails for about 207 yen from a convenience store.
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Now here’s a rather delicate subject to conduct a survey on! From my point of view, the three big everyday lifestyle ailments many Japanese, especially women, seem to suffer from are stiff shoulders, cold hands and feet, and constipation. I have been trying to get to the bottom of the third topic for a while, as it were, so I am pleased to be able to present to my readers the results of a survey by MyVoice into health and constipation.

Demographics

Over the first five days of November 2007 a surprisingly high number of 19,667 members of the MyVoice online community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample was female, 2% were in their teens, 16% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 28% in their forties, and 16% in their fifties.

Just for reference, the word used for bowel movements in this survey was お通じ, otsuuji.

Human poo is not quite the same taboo subject that it is in the west, I feel; from poo hats to children’s songs about poo (sadly videos no longer available) via lucky gold poo charms.

I also like one series of advertisements for a laxative called Collac and their rakko, otters, that look suspiciously like dancing poo. Try the button in the bottom right-hand corner, then either of the two buttons at the bottom right of the next screen.
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Even though shops like Oxfam dress many UK students, charity shops as we might know them in the west basically do not exist in Japan, for various reasons that would be interesting to see investigated through a survey. Indeed, perhaps the full version of this survey reported on by japan.internet.com and conducted by JR Tokai Express Research Inc into used clothes covered that issue, although the highlights below do not.

Demographics

On the 20th of November 2007 334 members of the JR Tokai Express Research online monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 56.3% of the sample was male, 4.8% in their teens, 16.5% in their twenties, 37.4% in their thirties, 24.3% in their forties, 8.7% in their fities, 7.5% in their sixties, and for the first time ever for a JR Tokai Express Research poll, 0.9% (or three people) were specifically identified as being aged seventy or older.

I’m not sure how the first answer in Q1SQ2 should be read; is this referring to buying pre-worn jeans or the like, or choosing used for everyday wear as one cannot afford new. I’d also like to see cross-referencings between where purchased and why purchased, and also what sorts of clothes. I can image little stigma being attached to picking up a second-hand kimono, but a box of everyday clothes from a fleamarket is a very different kind of purchase.
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