世論 What Japan Thinks

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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As mobile phone’s memory capacities increase, our need to remember phone numbers decreases. To find out in detail, iShare performed a survey into mobile phone dependence.

Demographics

Between the 11th and 13th of March 2008 889 members of the free email forwarding service CLUB BBQ completed an internet-based questionnaire. 54.6% were male, 23.2% were in their twenties and 76.7% in their thirties. 47.9% were married, and 22.9% lived alone. The respondents were pre-screened so everyone had a mobile phone.

I can only remember the last four digits of my mobile phone, my full home number, but I haven’t a clue what my wife’s is! I struggle to remember my work number, and I haven’t the slightest idea what my own personal extension number is!
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With the ubiquity of computers and cell phones, penmanship skills become less and less used. To see how this affects the average Japanese, japan.internet.com reported on a survey conducted by JR Tokai Express Research Inc into handwriting and character input. This is a survey I’d love to see in full!

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of April 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research online monitor pool completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.8% of the sample was female, 3.6% in their teens, 16.7% in their twenties, 36.1% in their thirties, 28.5% in their forties, 8.8% in their fifties, 5.8% in their sixties, and 0.6% aged seventy or older.

I translated a similar survey on literacy back in June of 2006. This time almost 60% had over 10 years of computer usage, and in total almost 90% had over five years experience, so this sample mostly contained mature users.

I use the computer on the whole to prepare documents, but when being creative, in particular when forming ideas, I use paper to sketch out, as the limitations of a keyboard stunt my inventive processes. Meeting minutes and notes are also always done on paper as I can simultaneously write and listen better than I can type and listen. Also, if I can’t be bothered switching on my computer in the train I’ll just use paper there.
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Ahh, the youth of today! If it wasn’t hard enough to follow Japanese in the first place, the kids are using romaji (roman alphabet) abbreviations that make LOL, BRB and CUL8R seem so simple. This survey from goo Research in conjuction with the Yomiuri Shimbun into in-vogue abbreviations looked at their use and abuse.

Demographics

Between the 25th and 28th of March 2008 533 young people from the goo Research monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The report says there was a 1:1 male to female ratio, but that would leave one extra. The age split is not noted, but 35% of the respondents were students, 30% were full-time employees, and 11% were home-makers.

I think most foreign residents of Japan will have heard of KY at least; indeed, one of the best selling non-fiction books these days is a KY Dictionary!

When the survey questions mention “conversation”, I believe it is referring to spoken language, not email.

Q3 is probably wrong in many places, so I hope my readers can point me in the right direction!

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Email newsletter, or as they are known in Japanese English mail magazines (which is usually then abbreviated to meru-maga) are a popular way for companies to communicate with their customers and potential customers. To find out how popular, japan.internet.com reported on a recent survey conducted by goo Research into email newsletters.

Demographics

Over the 20th and 21st of January 2008 (don’t ask me why japan.internet.com took three months to report!) 1,100 members of the goo Research online monitor group successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 14.4% in their teens, 20.3% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, and 27.6% aged fifty or older.

I run a wee newsletter myself, just a weekly summary of my surveys, other interesting news, stuff about blogging, and rounded off with something interesting or strange that happened to me in the past week. If you’d like to join or check the archives, visit the 世論 What Japan Thinks Google Groups Newsletter or sign up with this form:

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Although mixi still rules the Japan Social Networking Service market in Japan, this 12th regular SNS survey from goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com showed some changes lower down in the rankings.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 9th of April 2008 1,091 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.5% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 16.3% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 11.8% aged sixty or older.

As lots of people seem to be looking for invites to mixi, both xorsyst and Tofugu are offering them. Note that you seem to need a Japanese mobile phone in order to sign up.

My SNS participation is limited to my rather static personal and web site Facebook pages. I’ll respond to any friend requests, but don’t expect anything more out of me!
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With the overblown fuss and much misunderstanding in the foreigner community about fingerprinting and the horrors of biometric scanning, this recent survey reported on by japan.internet.com and conducted by Marsh Inc into biometrics provides some insight into how the Japanese view this matter.

Demographics

Between the 4th and 8th of April 2008 300 members of the Marsh internet monitor group successfully completed a private online questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, and 20.0% were in their teens, 20.0% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 14.7% in their fifties, and 5.3% aged sixty or older.

I’ve not actually used any biometric identification system (excluding US immigration!), although my wife used to have a mobile phone with a fingerprint scanner, but rather than use it for unlocking the phone, she used it for a virtual pet game where scanning one’s finger initiated the petting action!
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Two silly rankings for the price of one today! This time goo Ranking looked at what people think they’ll have to give up once they marry, for both 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 realised that I’d have to give motorbike riding, not that that was much of a hardship in Japan as for three months it’s too cold and for four it’s far too hot to ride, and living around Osaka it’s a long ride before you get to much in the way of interesting terrain. Just about everything else I had to give up was a good thing, from beer to regular delivery pizza.

Number 5 for women is a telling one, as are the two 15s for men…

What will you or did you regret giving up for marriage?
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This week goo Ranking decided to report on what in vogue items or fashions from the 1980s do people get nostalgic about when they look back on them.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of February 2008 1,052 people from the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.7% were female, 6.4% in their teens, 15.7% in their twenties, 31.0% in their thirties, 26.6% in their forties, 11.2% in their fifties, and 9.1% 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.

This is a difficult one for me to answer, as I was never really into the fads myself during that time. Music brings back certain memories, so thinking about that it’s probably the silly hair from people like Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Adam Ant or the sharp suits of Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet and the rest of the New Romantic boom that would spark not a longing for the actual music or styles, but just to be there again and do things differently or just do the same things all over again.

All photos have been appropriated from random websites via Google Image Search…
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I’ve only really heard of PLC through work, as other departments produce a quite successful range of devices. PLC, or Power Line Communication, is communicating over domestic power lines. It’s a cheap and easy way to network and free from the security issues associated with wireless, although prone to noise from other electrical devices. To see what is going on in the average Japanese home, goo Research conducted a survey, reported on by japan.internet.com, into PLC.

Demographics

Between the 10th and 12th of April 2008 1,098 members of the goo Research online monitor group successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.8% of the sample was male, 17.8% in their teens, 19.2% in their twenties, 15.8% in their thirties, 16.9% in their forties, 18.2% in their fifties, and 12.1% aged sixty or older.

PLC really is quite idiot-proof, I hear. Just plug both ends into an available socket, connect one end to your internet line, the other to your PC, and Bob’s your uncle. Transmission speeds are up to 100 Mbps, so I hear.

I personally don’t need PLC, as my home came wired with hot and cold running broadband in every room.
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