世論 What Japan Thinks

Here is another very interesting survey from goo Research, a look at child-rearing and working. This is the second time the survey has been conducted, the first time being in December 2007, but I didn’t translate that one.

Demographics

Between the 24th and 29th of June 2010 exactly 1,000 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. All of the sample were working mothers with a child under six years old. 44.6% of the sample were in regular full-time employment, 9.2% contract or dispatch workers, 38.6% part-time or casual, and 7.8% were on a child-rearing holiday.

You might want to look at another recent survey from goo Research on diverse working styles.

As far as I am aware, my employer has all the systems mentioned below in place for both mothers and fathers, although not surprisingly very few of the fathers avail themselves of any of the benefits; one day off for the baby popping out and another one for the mother being discharged from hospital seems about the size of it on average. Although Q6 shows that the wives want their husbands to make use of more benefits, Q7 and Q8 show a high degree of satisfaction with their husbands’ efforts. Are women setting the bar too low or are they just accepting that Japanese working styles on the whole result in father never seeing the kid on weekdays?
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Following on from yesterday’s look (well, it was supposed to be yesterday’s but I forgot to press the “Publish” button!) at the life of a Japanese dog, this survey from iShare took a look at people’s opinions regarding pet funerals – any pet, not just dogs.

Demographics

Between the 5th and 8th of July 2010 480 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.6% of the sample were male, 28.1% in their twenties, 34.8% in their thirties, and 37.1% in their forties.

In Q3, the story was that a pet funeral business in Hanno city in Saitama prefecture, rather that giving Fido a proper send-off, they just fly-tipped him and hundreds of his buddies down a back road. In order to counteract this problem in the future, from 2012 the government will require pet funeral business to be registered.

Note that since Japan is nominally Buddhist especially in matters of death, cremation is also the prefered method for disposing of pets. If I had a dead pet, I’d just get the council round to take him away, but I’m sure my wife would have other ideas.
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Alternatively subtitled “Over half of single Japanese sleep with their dogs”, but that sort of headline has got me into trouble before! When Yahoo! Japan Value Insight took a look at dog ownership, they found out that and many other interesting facts.

Demographics

Between the 25th and 27th of June 2010 560 members of the Yahoo! monitor group living in Tokyo or the three surrounding prefectures with only one dog completed a private internet-based questionnaire. There were 100 of both men and women who were married with children, 68 men and 100 women married with no children, and 92 men and 100 women unmarried and living alone. The ages of each sub-group ranged from 20 to 59 years old. There was also another 100 of both men and women unmarried but living at home, but their answers were not reported.

I’m a cat person myself with a mild dog phobia, so I cannot but be amazed at the stupidity of the owners. On the other hand if it were felines, I would fully accept the results as a balanced representation of the respect humans have for their cat masters!

Photo from Chi (in Japan) on flickr.
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Here’s a little bit of Japanese rail transport recent history I wasn’t aware of, uncovered in a survey by goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com into railway station message boards. It appears that these blackboards could be used not just for official announcements, but also by the public for passing messages. Now, of course, the mobile phone has replaced the need.

Demographics

Between the 12th and 16th of July 2010 1,051 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.3% of the sample were male, 16.6% in their teens, 18.6% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 16.0% in their forties, 15.5% in their fifties, and 12.0% aged sixty or older.

There’s no notice board in my station in an obvious place, although I think I remember seeing one when I had to go to the station office, but it is probably used for internal communication only. Here’s a sample board, with the message saying “A perv was here”, taken by Tomozo on flickr.

Recently, goo Research conducted a very thorough survey into media consumption in Japan, covering both the old and new media.

Demographics

Between the 2nd and 4th of June 2010 1,561 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.5% of the sample were male, 16.1% in their teens, 18.1% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.8% in their fifties, and 12.4% aged sixty or older.

I’m surprised at the number who surf while watching television! I very rarely do so, perhaps because I can’t handle Japanese television as a background task because I need to use too much brain to follow the Japanese, especially as I often need to read the ever-present subtitles to help my understanding. Furthermore, even though television is a passive task, being married I think it is ignoring my spouse to some degree, and anyway it’s difficult to type with one arm round her shoulder…
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The first question one might have is what is diversity; the immediate thing that springs to my mind, at least, is having an anti-discrimination policy at work covering race, creed, gender and sexual orientation. However, in this survey into diversity management by goo Research only one and a half (“foreign” rather than “race”) of these groups appear.

Demographics

Between the 16th and 21st of June 2010 930 members of the goo Research monitor group employed in companies with more than 50 employees completed a private internet-base questionnaire. The sex and age splits were not reported, but 23.3% worked in manufacturing, 14.9% in service, food or drink, 10.5% for local or national government, 9.8% in retail, 9.5% in information or distribution, 6.8% in construction or real estate, 5.6% in finance, 4.3% in distribution, 1.6% in farming, fisheries, forestry, mining, or utilities, and 13.7% in other industry. 16.3% worked for companies with between 50 and 99 employees, 30.1% with 100 to 499 employees, 11.0% with 500 to 999 employees, 19.9% with 1,000 to 4,999 employees, and 22.7% in companies with 5,000 or more employees.

The company I work for does just about everything in Q1. I’m not sure about a specific older person employment scheme, whatever that might be, but we do actively hire staff in mid-career, not just new graduates. We’re extremely active recently in foreigner employment, and I’m surprised that our managing director’s recent writings on the matter have barely hit the Japanese newspapers and blogs, let alone the English-language sphere.

It’s interesting that diversity management here seems to be more about diverse employment patterns for existing staff, trying to allow for working styles other than the 9 to 5 10, work before family. As mentioned above, our company has generous paternity leave on offer, but even this year when two guys’ wives gave birth the guys took one day off for the birth and another for when she came out of hospital before returning to the same old 9 to 10 (pm of course) regardless of necessity.

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As a foreigner in Japan I already have an ID card, but this very short survey from iShare into a national ID system found men in favour but women slightly opposed to such as system.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 20th of May 2010 503 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 55.5% of the sample were male, 28.2% in their twenties, 35.0% in their thirties, and 36.8% in their forties.

There already is a local ID system, the Juki Net system.

Some of the personal reasons in favour of such a scheme were a simplification of procedures at city hall and more efficient government with an expectation of cost reduction. Furthermore, more than a few hoped that it would stop people who hadn’t paid their taxes, health insurances, etc unfairly getting access to services. Even those in favour worried about personal data leaks or hack attacks. Those opposed worried it would be used for evil, that personal data might leak, and just general discomfort about being watched by Big Brother. Furthermore, people felt the existing Juki Net system was sufficient.

The national ID system was described as a single number for every citizen that would be bring together personal information on tax, pension, nursing, and other social security-related data. Furthermore, it is possible that they will introduce Government Kiosk Terminals at post offices and convenience stores that would print out various resident forms. Finally, health records would be made electronic and patients themselves could use this information, and medical professionals could remotely diagnose people, and old folks would be looked after.
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One of the topics of conversation in Japan these days is the beard ban enacted by a local council. To find out what people think of this, iShare conducted a survey into beards.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 4th of June 2010 423 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.8% of the sample were male,・0.7% in their twenties, 31.9% in their thirties, and 37.4% in their forties.

The reason for enacting the ban was because some taxpayer customer got upset at seeing a half-shaven face one morning; rather than a sensible ruling on not coming in to work without shaving, the council decided all facial hair must go. There was quite an entertaining article in the Japan Times looking at this issue.

I think a beard can look good, but chin beards or half-hearted moustache are not, although I’d never dream of complaining about one. However stubble that looks like one’s just got out of bed has to go!
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iShare recently did one of their trademark curious surveys, this time looking at issues surrounding funerals.

Demographics

Between the 18th and 21st of May 2010 432 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 57.6% of the sample were male, 32.9% in their twenties, 32.4% in their thirties, and 34.7% in their forties.

Funerals in Japan are a horrendous rip-off, on the whole, especially as many feel they have to call in priests to officiate, who often charge in the millions of yen for their services. I’ve seen people defend this practice by saying that as people are expected to bring a cash gift for the family they can cover expenses; this may be true, but then again one has to give presents back to everyone who gifts, and of course there is ongoing expenses of grave maintenance and annual services for the deceased, which again can run into hundreds of thousands.

And I really ought to link to my brother’s post from three years ago.
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With Father’s Day on the horizon, iShare took a very detailed look at fathers at home.

Demographics

Over the 6th and 7th of May 2010 450 male members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. All were married with children, and with a salary of 3 million yen or more. 80.0% were in their forties, and 20.0% were in their fifties. Note that this is the first survey I can remember from iShare that included anyone in their fifties.

I can’t choose my own programs, but then again there’s not really any alternatives that I have a pressing need to watch rather than whatever mindless entertainment is on the box.

I can’t relate to the Q9SQ questions as my wife doesn’t let me near the remote control for the recorder, and anyway I can usually catch up via YouTube or Japan Probe!
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