世論 What Japan Thinks

With Japan being in the middle of the ceder pollen season, the most common pollen allergen, this survey from goo Research into hayfever, reported on by japan.internet.com, is quite timely.

Demographics

Between the 12th and 14th of March 2012 1,086 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, 18.0% in their twenties, 21.6% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 12.0% aged sixty or older.

I get a runny nose, and this year also quite itchy eyes, so I’ve long ago ran to the Ear Nose and Throat quack (he’s good, I recommend him) and got pills, nasal spray and eye drops. The nose spray has long since run out, but the non-drowsy pills are just managing to keep the worst symptoms away, touch any wood except ceder.
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Mobile and computer-based web site viewing, one of goo Ranking’s regular surveys, took an interesting turn in this report on japan.internet.com, where they described the result of specific questions to tablet owners. However, the sample size was tiny so the data cannot really be trusted.

Demographics

Between the 12th and 14th of March 2012 1,093 mobile phone-using members of the goo Research monitor panel completed a private mobile internet-based questionnaire. 59.3% of the sample were female, 3.5% in their teens, 26.4% in their twenties, 33.2% in their thirties, 25.8% in their forties, and 11.1% aged fifty or older. Note that the survey includes smartphone users, and would also include tablet users who had a mobile phone contract attached to theirs.

I’ve considered getting a tablet myself, and if I were to I’d probably choose the four top reasons as listed below!
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goo Ranking recently asked what aspects of the opposite sex that others might find a little odd did people find alluring, for both men looking at women and women looking at men.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 18th of January 2012 1,048 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.6% of the sample were female, 12.3% in their teens, 15.6% in their twenties, 27.9% in their thirties, 25.8% in their forties, 9.5% in their fifties, and 8.9% in their sixties. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

At JR Osaka station there is a woman announcer voice that describes in English where to stand, and the “two” in “Please form two lines” is strangely alluring to me. The accent is mostly Japanese with very little US or UK English influence, but the “two” comes out in an accent that sounds very much like from my home area, a cute “tchew”. I also used to work with a Japanese woman who pronunced the Japanese “fu” sound rather sweetly.
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Having previously looked at rumours about girls’ schools, here we have goo Ranking looking at the characteristics of men educated in boys’ schools.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 18th of January 2012 1,048 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.6% of the sample were female, 12.3% in their teens, 15.6% in their twenties, 27.9% in their thirties, 25.8% in their forties, 9.5% in their fifties, and 8.9% in their sixties. 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 survey was presumably for the women only.

Looking at the list, I must have gone to a boys’ school! Except for number 20, I hasten to add.

I don’t know much at all about Japanese boys school, although I do have a very strong image about British boys’ schools, which tend to be public boarding schools that foster a lot of number 4 in particular, if you catch my drift.
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Recently, Macromill Research took a close look at the usage patterns of 500 Facebook users, a survey that revealed a number of interesting trends. As it’s quite a large survey, I’ll split it into two parts.

Demographics

Over the 16th and 17th of February 2012 500 members of the Macromill monitor group who were current users of Facebook completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.8% of the sample were male, 2.2% in their teens, 21.2% in their twenties, 30.6% in their thirties, 25.0% in their forties, and 21.0% aged fifty or older.

One trend that can be seen comparing with last year is that the Japanese users are less concerned about the international nature. I don’t believe one can really ascribe that shift to some change in Japanese society’s view of foreigners, but instead I think it is just a natural shift given that according to Q2, over 60% of the users joined since the start of last year, so now there are more real-life Japanese friends to find.
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Recently, Macromill Research took a close look at the usage patterns of 500 Facebook users, a survey that revealed a number of interesting trends. As it’s quite a large survey, I’ll split it into two parts.

Demographics

Over the 16th and 17th of February 2012 500 members of the Macromill monitor group who were current users of Facebook completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.8% of the sample were male, 2.2% in their teens, 21.2% in their twenties, 30.6% in their thirties, 25.0% in their forties, and 21.0% aged fifty or older.

It’s funny, but true overall, I think, that food is the top subject for posts and likes! I recently witnessed on Google+ (I’m not active at all on Facebook) a naturalised Japanese friend of mine post what I thought looked like quite an ordinary meal, but it managed about 12 +1s (likes), and every single one of these was from a Japanese name!
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japan.internet.com recently reported on the third regular survey by goo Research into home appliances, with this report focusing on televisions.

Demographics

Between the 5th and 8th of March 2012 1,075 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.5% of the sample were male, 17.0% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 20.7% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, and 28.2% aged fifty or older.

When I was buying my digital television, maker (or should that be my employer) was the most important consideration for me!
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goo Ranking took a look at causes of arguments when on holiday with one’s girlfriend or boyfriend.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 8th of February 2012 just over 1,000 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. Unfortunately, the link to the demographics is broken, so I cannot report the numbers in any detail. 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 hope I’m training my wife to be more lackadaisical about travel plans! She does insist on making up a timetable of where to visit, but with recent holidays it’s become less and less detailed. However, on group tours she still gets annoyed with the staff, but I’m on holiday so it’s all water off a duck’s back to me. About the only real cause of arguments has been her getting exchange rates wrong by a factor of ten and doing a touch too much shopping…
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Here’s a fun survey from goo Ranking, looking at what flaws people think if they fixed they would be able to find a partner, for both women looking for a boyfriend and men looking for a girlfriend.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 18th of January 2012 1,048 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.6% of the sample were female, 12.3% in their teens, 15.6% in their twenties, 27.9% in their thirties, 25.8% in their forties, 9.5% in their fifties, and 8.9% in their sixties. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

Thinking back to my own case, it was a combination of both having no self-confidence and not having the courage to make a move. There’s a few stories about that I could relate, but not in as public a venue as here! What managed to get me to overcome these flaws was getting my teeth fixed; I was still the same person afterwards, but perhaps I was more relaxed and less concerned about smiling afterwards?
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goo Research took a look at usage of mobile phones and other devices when using public transport, in a report featured on japan.internet.com.

Demographics

Between the 28th of February and the 1st of March 2012 1,086 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.2% of the sample were male, 16.6% in their teens, 18.3% in their twenties, 21.9% in their thirties, 15.7% in their forties, 15.8% in their fifties, and 11.6% aged sixty or older.

I spend the best part of two hours a day on trains, and it’s mostly email and games, in particular Andoku.
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