世論 What Japan Thinks

This is the first survey I have picked up from Ponta Research, a look at summer holiday travel plans for this year.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 11th of June 2013 2,523 members of the Ponta Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.4% of the sample were female, 18.7% were in their twenties, 19.1% in their thirties, 19.7% in their forties, 21.1% in their fifties, and 21.3% in their sixties. Furthermore, all lived in either Tokyo and the surrounding six prefectures, or Osaka and the surrounding four prefectures.

Ponta is a point card offered by the convenience store chain Lawson and supported by many other major companies.

If you’re planning to climb Mount Fuji this summer, be prepared for double if not triple the traffic in this photo, since it got awarded World Heritage status this year:

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goo Ranking recently published an interesting look at what sorts of people cannot get married, for both men looking at women and women looking at men. Note that the implication here is mostly regarding people who are actively dating, not those who aren’t interested in marriage.

Demographics

Between the 31st of May and 3rd of June 2013 1,069 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.1% of the sample were female, 24.8% in their teens, 24.9% in their twenties, 25.0% in their thirties, and 25.4% in their forties; there was no-one older than 49 in this sample. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

Here’s a bit of an odd couple:

I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the survey, but I needed a photo to brighten up the page!
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A recent survey from Mobile Marketing Data Laboratory looked at feature phone users.

Demographics

Between the 21st and 24th of June 2013 992 members of the MMD monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. All of them currently used a feature phone, and 331 were with docomo, 330 with au, and 331 with SoftBank as their mobile carrier. Their ages were between 15 and 69.

From other surveys, feature phones make up just over 50% of the existing phones in circulation, although new smartphone sales outpace existing phone sales.

My wife still has a feature phone, and she’s in no rush to upgrade; she likes the idea of a smartphone for web browsing, but is reluctant to leave behind the physical keypad for email.
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Following on from yesterday’s look at coping with the heat, I present a short report from Do House into failing to cope with the heat, in particular sweat and smells.

Demographics

Over the 14th and 15th of June 2013 1,047 members of the Moratame.net site completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample consisted of people of both sexes and aged between 20 and 59, but not further information than that.

I knew that spray is the most popular form of deodorant here, but I didn’t realise these sheets were so popular. I wonder where and when people use them, as I certainly don’t see people towelling themselves down on the train home! Although it is my favourite, stick deodorant is almost non-existant here – if any of my readers knows somewhere to get them, please leave a comment!
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Rakuten Research recently looked at summer heat countermeasures.

Demographics

Over the 14th and 15th of June 2013 500 members of the Rakuten Research monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female, and the ages of both sexes were 50:50 twenties and thirties.

I am under the impression that sweating is a good way to if not cool off, at least feel better, so having hot drinks (when inside) or something spicy must be a good way to counteract the heat. As I’ve said at least twice before (perhaps I should try to get an affiliate account to make some money off this?), I’ve also started wearing AIRism from Uniqlo, and it quite nicely prevents the horrible sticky, sweaty back feeling I normally get wearing just a shirt.
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The title of this article begs the question “Is there times when one beer is enough”, but for now please make do with goo Ranking’s look at moments when people feel one beer is just not enough.

Demographics

Between the 2nd and 5th of May 2013 1,088 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.2% of the sample were male, 23.3% in their teens, 24.4% in their twenties, 25.5% in their thirties, and 26.8% in their forties; there was no-one older than 49 in this sample. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

I suppose for foreigners new to Japan, finding this nearby would be a moment when one was not enough?

I can most certainly identify with number 12, be it the free beer on an airplane or a few cans from the convenience store before getting on the train!
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I don’t really understand the motivation behind it, but in Japan there is often advertisements for various companies offering (usually) dried green leafy vegetable juice, or aojiru (literally “green juice”). Dr.Ci:Labo are now getting in on the act, so they recently conducted a survey into aojiru in order to promote their new product.

Demographics

Over the 24th and 25th of June 2013 360 women between the ages of 20 and 69 completed an internet survey. Further demographic background, information on how the sample was gathered, etc was not given.

Here’s someone being fed a rather large helping of aojiru powder…

I’ve never drunk aojiru myself, but I too have the image of it being pretty disgusting and probably not as healthy as it is touted to be, although I suppose if you live a very irregular lifestyle it is a relatively easy way to try to redress one’s vitamin balance and whatever.

Since Dr.Ci:Labo have published this survey, I suppose I’d better mention that their aojiro contains organic wheat shoots, domestically-grown mugwort, pesticide-free moroheiya, organic mulberry leaves and organic Angelica keiskei (parsley family), plus some lactic acid for good measure. Yum!
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japan.internet.com reported on a recent survey by goo Research into smartphone cases.

Demographics

Between the 21st and 24th of June 2013 1,078 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.1% of the sample were male, 13.6% in their teens, 15.7% in their twenties, 21.5% in their thirties, 17.2% in their forties, 14.9% in their fifties and 17.1% aged sixty or older.

Note that a previous survey had found that a vast majority own smartphone cases.

I don’t have one for mine, and it’s only ever had a couple of minor spills out of my pocket onto carpeted floors.
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Mobile Marketing Data Laboratory recently conducted a survey with a lot of useful data points, looking at tablet device issues.

Demographics

Between the 18th and 20th of June 2013 568 members of the MMD research panel who were also users of both tablets and smartphones completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The ages were between 20 and 59 years old, but no further information was provided.

There’s a lot of great data here that I’ve been hoping to get my hands on for a while. Over 20% of Android tablet users being iPhone owners is not a surprise to me; given that the iPhone is the biggest-selling smartphone in Japan it is statistically quite normal (I think!) that there is such a split. However, I would like to know why iPhone users chose an Android tablet, or did Android tablet users choose the iPhone? At a guess, I would say that price would be the deciding factor, but I wonder how many of those choosing an Android did have a significant investment in iTunes and app purchases? Perhaps next time we can get answers to these questions.
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goo Ranking performed a survey looking at what off-putting characteristics there are of single men and women still living with their parents.

Demographics

Between the 2nd and 5th of May 2013 1,088 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.2% of the sample were male, 23.3% in their teens, 24.4% in their twenties, 25.5% in their thirties, and 26.8% in their forties; there was no-one older than 49 in this sample. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

I’m not really sure how to illustrate this – Japanese houses don’t tend to have basements for these characters to lurk in! A few years ago the buzzword parasite single was doing the rounds to describe people who particularly display characteristic number 2 below.
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