世論 What Japan Thinks

Another detailed survey from goo Research, this time looking at information device usage amongst older folk, the third time they have conducted their survey.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 22nd of June 2011, 8,393 older members of the goo Research monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 76.6% of the sample were male, 48.6% of the men and 66.5% of the women were aged between 60 and 64 years old, 24.6% of the men and 21.6% were aged between 65 and 69 years old, 17.2% of the men and 8.7% of the women were aged between 70 and 74 years old, 7.9% of the men and 2.6% of the women were aged between 75 and 79 years old, and 1.6% of the men and 0.7% of the women were 80 years old or older.

Although the number of smartphone and tablet users is relatively low, I was suprised to see that between 40% and 50% have downloaded at least one paid app. It would have been very interesting to see what sort of applications they are paying for; newspapers or electronic books would be the stereotypical image I have, but what is the reality?
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goo Ranking recently took a look at one of my most disliked things on Japanese television, fortune telling, and in particular what things make people hate a fortune teller.

Demographics

Over the 22nd and 23rd of July 2011 over 1,000 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. However, the link to the sample demographics does not work. 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 think this survey refers to when people visit fortune tellers themselves, or read books about their own star sign or whatever, rather than watching someone on television. Here’s a photo from flickr by Janne Moren of a palm reader in Osaka:

By the way, Japan does not have the typical US (and UK) big-time television cold readers fishing their audience for someone to whom the letter “T” is important. Instead we get hot readings with celebs getting their palms read and egos stroked by other celeb readers.

I did see ads for Uri Geller on my phone recently, which was not very nice in the slightest.
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An interesting survey from goo Research, reported on by japan.internet.com, into office software on home computers found that free suites are more popular.

Demographics

Between the 9th and 14th of August 2011 1,065 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.3% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.5% in their thirties, 16.4% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 11.8% aged sixty or older.

Note that I suspect that a number of people who got Microsoft Office or Works bundled with their system may have reported this as free software.

For myself, I occasionally use Open Office (Libre Office). I mostly use their Excel clone from that suite.
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A recent detailed survey report from goo Research was their third six-monthly look at the media usage situation.

Demographics

Between the 25th and 30th of May 2011 1,499 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.8% of the sample were male, 16.5% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.6% in their fifties, and 12.1% aged sixty or older.

I use both TV and PC internet every day, both for longer than I’d like to admit to!
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goo Research started yet another new survey series, according to this report from japan.internet.com, this time looking at shopping site use by mobile phone users.

Demographics

Between the 8th and 10th of August 2011 1,098 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private mobile-based (including smartphone) survey. 58.3% of the sample were female, 3.8% in their teens, 27.8% in their twenties, 35.8% in their thirties, 23.5% in their forties, and 9.1% aged fifty or older.

I’ve never done any mobile shopping, for all the three reasons listed, and I could probably fill out the “other” answer with a number of additional reasons.
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The final summer holiday-themed survey for today is a look at what tough summer holiday experiences Japanese had as children.

Demographics

Over the 6th and 7th of June 2011 1,148 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.6% of the sample were male, 12.1% in their teens, 16.9% in their twenties, 28.0% in their thirties, 25.4% in their forties, 9.7% in their fifties, and 7.9% 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.

I did spend all summer in hospital one year, and another year after playing on the beach the result of our play (undermining a sand dune then breaking the turf on top – I’m sure there was a good reason for it) featured on the front page of the local paper as an example of coastal erosion…
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Continuing the foreign holiday theme, this time goo Ranking looked at when Japanese feel they are back home after overseas travel. The actual title contains one of these Japanese words that I always find difficult to translate; it’s the feeling of being able to relax after something stressful or challenging, the sigh after the first mouthful of cold beer that lets out all the stress of a hard day’s work, for instance. If any of my readers wish to chip in with a good translation for ?????, please comment!

Demographics

Over the 6th and 7th of June 2011 1,148 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.6% of the sample were male, 12.1% in their teens, 16.9% in their twenties, 28.0% in their thirties, 25.4% in their forties, 9.7% in their fifties, and 7.9% 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.

My feeling of being back home is going to Starbucks in Kansai Airport arrivals lounge; it’s a combination of trying to make myself understood in Japanese through a faceful of stubble and hangover-enhanced jetlag, the staff trying their hardest with English, and when it comes to pay, my triumphant I’m-not-just-another-bloody-tourist moment as I wave my Kabibara-san-encased electronic cash and declare “PiTaPa onegaishimasu!”

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Since it’s just the end of the Japan summer holiday season, let’s have a look at this timely survey from goo Ranking into what uses Japanese would like to make of their mobile phones overseas.

Demographics

Over the 6th and 7th of June 2011 1,148 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.6% of the sample were male, 12.1% in their teens, 16.9% in their twenties, 28.0% in their thirties, 25.4% in their forties, 9.7% in their fifties, and 7.9% 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 one time I used my mobile phone overseas all I used was SMS as proper email and all other uses involving data packets are horrendously expensive; one SMS in itself was 100 yen, and although email data packets would be cheaper for the equivalent 140 SMS characters, email would encourage my wife to start pasting in decomail icons or attaching photos…

Talking of photos, searching Flickr gives me absolutely nothing useful, sorry…
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A recent survey from goo Research, reported on by japan.internet.com, looked at IP simulcast radio. If you’re not sure what that is, join the slim majority of Japanese who don’t know either.

Demographics

Between the 25th and 27th of July 2011 1,086 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.8% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.1% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, 15.6% in their fifties, and 12.2% aged sixty or older.

IP simulcast radio is simultaneously broadcasting radio over the airwaves and the internet. The BBC don’t call it anything special with just a “Listen Live” label, but the main Japanese rebroadcaster/aggregator, radiko.jp (note it checks your IP address to give you your local stations only, and only for Tokyo and Osaka areas) has “IP simulcast radio” as part of its logo.

Talking of the area lock of radiko, after the earthquake they removed the area block so everyone could listen. And then reintroduced the block on the first of April.

Finally, NHK will start simulcasting their Radio 1 and Radio 2 channels from next month.
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I was hoping to have a holiday from the blog, but japan.internet.com only had a long weekend and published a report on an interesting survey from goo Research into flash marketing (time-limited offers), with the focus on coupon sites.

Demographics

Over the 2nd and 3rd of August 2011 1,100 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.7% of the sample were male, 16.4% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.5% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, 15.6% in their fifties, and 12.2% aged sixty or older.

I’ve never used a coupon site myself, but I’ve read enough about how it doesn’t make sense for many businesses that I don’t really feel I want to be part of bankrupting small businesses. However, looking at the Groupon Japan web site, here’s possibly one offer that might work due to extras (err, extra drinks I mean!), an Osaka ladyboy show.
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