The government of Japan may have changed, but the Cabinet Office Japan surveys are carrying on – it’ll be interesting to see if I can detect a change in tone in the questions. This survey was entitled a built environment for pedestrians, but also covered most other local transport means.
Demographics
Between the 16th of July and the 2nd of August 2009 5,000 members of the public were selected at random to complete the survey; 3,157 people, or 63.1%, agreed to cooperate. 54.4% of this sample were female, 7.8% in their twenties, 14.3% in their thirties, 17.1% in their forties, 19.8% in their fifties, 23.4% in their sixties, and 17.6% aged seventy or older. Additionally, 46.1% were employed, 11.6% were self-employed, 3.0% were home workers, and 39.3% were unemployed, including students and housewives, who made up 60.9% of that 39.3%. Finally, 47.8% drove some form of motorised transport almost every day, 15.7% several times a week, 7.3% several times a month, 8.3% had a licence but didn’t drive, and 20.9% did not have a licence.
For me, to walk or cycle to the shops involves traversing an exceptionally steep hill and a bit of pavement-free road, whereas instead my train season ticket allows me to hop on a train and ride one stop down the line to get right into my suburban town centre. Read the rest of this entry »
The government of Japan may have changed, but the Cabinet Office Japan surveys are carrying on – it’ll be interesting to see if I can detect a change in tone in the questions. This survey was entitled a built environment for pedestrians, but also covered most other local transport means.
Demographics
Between the 16th of July and the 2nd of August 2009 5,000 members of the public were selected at random to complete the survey; 3,157 people, or 63.1%, agreed to cooperate. 54.4% of this sample were female, 7.8% in their twenties, 14.3% in their thirties, 17.1% in their forties, 19.8% in their fifties, 23.4% in their sixties, and 17.6% aged seventy or older. Additionally, 46.1% were employed, 11.6% were self-employed, 3.0% were home workers, and 39.3% were unemployed, including students and housewives, who made up 60.9% of that 39.3%. Finally, 47.8% drove some form of motorised transport almost every day, 15.7% several times a week, 7.3% several times a month, 8.3% had a licence but didn’t drive, and 20.9% did not have a licence.
I have a licence but rent a car about once every two months or so, so I don’t really know where I would fall in the demographic question above. I also managed to get a fixed penalty parking fine (15,000 yen!) last weekend, but that’s another story.
My commute is train only – my home is one minute from the station, work is two minutes away at the other end, so I cannot see any point in having a car. Read the rest of this entry »
Between the 20th and 22nd of August 2009 1,077 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private online questionnaire. 51.1% of the sample were male, 8.4% in their teens, 14.2% in their twenties, 26.7% in their thirties, 28.2% in their forties, 11.1% in their fifties, and 11.2% aged sixty or older. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.
It is interesting to note that many of the answers seem to centre around checking out that your partner is not already attached – I don’t really know what the motivation for that is.
I also haven’t a clue what’s behind sniffing your partner’s pillow, and I don’t really think I want to know!
This month’s 48th regular survey into mobile phone upgrade needs by goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com looked specifically at what features people look for in a new mobile phone.
Demographics
Between the 7th and 11th of September 2009 exactly 1,000 mobile phone-using members of the goo Research monitor group completed an online questionnaire. 52.7% of the sample were female, 1.0% in their teens, 15.8% in their twenties, 34.7% in their thirties, 29.5% in their forties, and 19.0% aged fifty or older.
The original Japanese article’s headline was that four in ten teenagers want a waterproof mobile phone, but because the statistic is completely accurate according to this sample, it is highly inaccurate, as there was only ten teenagers in the whole sample, so the margin of error is vast! However, the trend for older people being more interested in water resistance is valid, and is perhaps a reflection on clumsiness increasing with age!
In Q2, one obvious (from a Western phone user point of view, I think) missing feature is synchronisation with calendar or address book applications; Bluetooth support suggests just wireless headphones to me as few Japanese computers come with built-in support. Unfortunately, there’s no “What USA Thinks” or “What UK Thinks” web site for me to cross-reference against, although if any of my readers have data, I’d love to hear it. Also in Q2, you’ll note that the iPhone has only four of the top ten features and none of the top three, whereas most of the higher-end Japanese phones have at least seven of them. Read the rest of this entry »
I want someday learn how to write Japanese well, as do most Japanese themselves, according to the results of this recent survey from iShare into handwriting.
Demographics
Between the 27th of August and the 1st of September 2009 545 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.5% of the sample were male, 34.7% in their twenties, 29.2% in their thirties, and 36.1% in their forties.
Having said that I want to learn how to write Japanese neatly, perhaps first I should actually learn how to write in English, as I do have a horrendous scrawl, which does become legible to a degree if I slow down.
When it comes to making notes at meetings or sketching ideas out, etc, I nearly always use paper first, however, as even though I have a reasonably good typing speed, I can write and listen at the same time during meetings, and for ideas, underlining things on paper, inserting words, expanding concepts always seems far more dynamic on paper, and easier to follow than just raw, perfect text. Read the rest of this entry »
This is a subject I’ve looked at a number of times, but I always find the results interesting. The subject is mobile phone coupons, counducted by Point On Research and reported on by japan.internet.com.
Demographics
On the 15th of September 2009 exactly 800 members of the Point On Research monitor group completed a mobile internet-based questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, 20.0% in their teens, 20.0% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, and 20.0% in their fifties.
The only mobile coupons I use are for Mister Donut, although recently they’ve been pretty poor, 20% off a second doughnut or the like. And they’ve also ended their half-price ice coffee promotion. Read the rest of this entry »
No, not that kind of bust-up, but another kind, a 和製英語, wasei-eigo, Japanese English term that means, well, it should be obvious once you read this ranking survey from goo Ranking.
Demographics
Between the 21st and 24th of July 2009 1,026 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private online questionnaire. 48.2% of the sample were male, 8.0% in their teens, 14.6% in their twenties, 28.8% in their thirties, 26.0% in their forties, 12.5% in their fifties, and 10.1% aged sixty or older. 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 question was naturally for the ladies only…
Here’s some fun from goo Ranking, looking at these awkward moments for both men and women.
Demographics
Between the 21st and 24th of July 2009 1,026 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private online questionnaire. 48.2% of the sample were male, 8.0% in their teens, 14.6% in their twenties, 28.8% in their thirties, 26.0% in their forties, 12.5% in their fifties, and 10.1% aged sixty or older. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.
The following video might give you a hint as to the meaning of the question below, and illustrates answer 3 perfectly!
This survey will perhaps go some way to solving one of the greatest mysteries to foreign visitors to these climes, namely do all Japanese do the peace sign when getting their photo taken. This is the subject that iShare addressed.
Demographics
Between the 28th of August and the 2nd of September 2009 521 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.6% of the sample were male, 34.0% in their twenties, 31.9% in their thirties, and 34.2% in their forties.
It’s a bit late to write a comment, so let’s just go straight to the survey! Click on the photos to go to the original on flickr. Read the rest of this entry »
The government of Japan may have changed, but the Cabinet Office Japan surveys are carrying on – it’ll be interesting to see if I can detect a change in tone in the questions. This survey was entitled a built environment for pedestrians, but also covered most other local transport means.
This month’s 48th regular survey into 
I want someday learn how to write Japanese well, as do most Japanese themselves, according to the results of this recent survey from iShare into 
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