世論 What Japan Thinks

DIMSDRIVE Research recently carried out a detailed survey on what people thought regarding electronic dictionaries. They are referring to single-purpose portable dictionaries, not PDAs, mobile phones or other general-purpose portable devices with dictionary software present. They surveyed 7,327 members of their monitor group, 56.9% female, by means of an internet-based questionnaire. The sample consisted of 1.1% in their teens, 17.4% in their twenties, 34.8% in their thirties, 28.2% in their forties, 13.4% in their fifties, and 5.1% aged 60 or older.

A word of advice for any would-be dictionary purchasers – first note that this survey is of Japanese people, so the ones they find popular, even though they may use the English lookup features often, does not necessarily mean they are best for foreigners. In fact, I personally would not recommend an electronic dictionary as the primary source for new learners of Japanese; they require a decent level of Japanese to get the best out of them, and they tend to be rather terse, especially for example sentences. When I was learning, I found the Kodansha’s Furigana Japanese Dictionary excellent, as did most of the Amazon reviewers, by the looks of things! I’ve got a slightly old Canon WordTank 3000 which I find very good and easy-to-use, but perhaps newer models will have more expansive dictionaries?
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DIMSDRIVE Research recently published the results of one of their ranking surveys, carried out in the middle of January amongst 5,782 members of their internet monitor group, 2,752 male, 3,030 female, to find out what kind of cat they’d like to keep as a pet.

This is a great excuse to publish a photo of the top-ranked and third-ranked breeds, Aria and Andy respectively, captured in a rare moment when they weren’t knocking lumps out of each other or aggravating my allergy with their hair!

The number who don’t want to keep cats is not recorded. Note that a Japanese cat most likely mean a mixed breed with a stubby tail, the most common wild and semi-wild cats you see around the streets here.
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[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

I see that I attracted a few readers in a LiveJournal kimono forum, so rather than creating a LiveJournal account to reply privately to their questions, I’ll post an update here with some more detailed statistics from the same report that I translated earlier this week.

One other question they had was from the final question about the kimono’s image, as to what “Japaneseness” was. This was my translation of 日本人らしい, nihonjinrashii, which translates more literally to “looking like a Japanese person”.

On a personal note, getting picked up by these kimono wearers (as it were) is the sort of thing that makes me feel all this blogging is worthwhile. I’ve learnt about western kimono fans and they’ve learnt a bit more about how the Japanese view what is their hobby. If there are any readers out there with a pet subject that they’d like to hear more about, please don’t hesitate to ask me and I’ll see what I can find. I’m fascinated by Japanese bowel movements (yes, honestly, but not in that way) or the lack thereof, but I’m yet to find a good survey regarding it.
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[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

DIMSDRIVE Research recently performed a survey to find out what people thought about kimonos. Over one week at the end of January, they got 7,607 people, 60.4% female, from their internet monitor group to reply to the questionnaire. 1.6% of the respondents were in their teens, 19.6% in their twenties, 36.6% in their thirties, 26.2% in their forties, 11.9% in their fifties, and 4.1% sixty and over.

This second half sees some more interesting statistics. Most people don’t buy their own kimono, but I would like to know why. Is it a coming of age present? A wedding present? Do they get them new or as hand-me-downs?

It is also interesting how the kimono’s image is foremostly positive, with the top two answers praising it, but then followed by four very negative images.
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[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

DIMSDRIVE Research recently performed a survey to find out what people thought about kimonos. Over one week at the end of January, they got 7,607 people, 60.4% female, from their internet monitor group to reply to the questionnaire. 1.6% of the respondents were in their teens, 19.6% in their twenties, 36.6% in their thirties, 26.2% in their forties, 11.9% in their fifties, and 4.1% sixty and over.

Note that I believe that the 浴衣 yukata and 甚平 jinbei, the cheap summer wear that resembles just a fancy dressing gown more than a formal item of clothing, is excluded from this survey; they are focusing on the posh ceremonial item here. I base this supposition on “fireworks display” or “summer festival” not being listed as answers to the question on the place that people last wore one, as at these two places one regularly sees many young people kitted out in cheap and colourful loose cotton garments.

Personally, I’ve never worn a kimono nor have any great urge to wear one, although I should compare the results of this survey with my views on kilts. I own a kilt, which I’ve worn to three weddings here in Japan, and it always goes down well with the natives. In deference to Japan, and betraying my heritage, I do wear Hello Kitty boxers underneath…

This survey will be split into two parts, published today and tomorrow.
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In my quest to bring you the rather more obscure and slighly weird surveys of Japanese public opinion, here comes an odd report from DIMSDRIVE Research, who asked 4,551 Japanese of all ages what their favourite meat on a yakiniku (grilled meat) menu was. 44.7% of those who replied to their internet-based questionnaire were male. This survey was carried out last July.

As a vegetarian myself, I have to go for the “None of the above” option. I also must resist saying anything about the fact that so many young Japanese women seem to love nothing more than a bit of tongue. Oh, and if you too want to get away from meat and get some decent tofu and other soy-based foodstuffs, and live in the Kansai area, I hearily recommend “Mame no Hatake” and “Seed’s Kitchen” as semi-organic, semi-veggie eateries. The “Mame no Hatake” buffet, in particular, is quite amazing value, 1,900 yen for a high-quality all-you-can-eat buffet.
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[part 1 | part 2]

DIMSDRIVE Research recently carried out a survey on free presents given away with foodstuffs, a rather popular method of promotion here in Japan. They surveyed 5,925 people, 2,410 male, from all over the country by means of an internet-based questionnaire in mid-December. The average age of the men was 40.2 years old, and of the women 35.7.

A gaijin ex-colleague of mine did collect the cards for some series or other – I forgotton the name of it, but it wasn’t one of the mass market animes. He bought one or two boxes of the chocolates and dutifully chomped his way through the whole lot at work, not ever offering me a single one, although he assured me the chocolate was disgusting.

I occasionally buy bottled drinks that come with free gifts if they have a nice strap to give away. Ocha Ken was an excellent series, although I only bought two bottles. Hopefully they revive it this summer. At the back of a cupboard somewhere is a dozen or so scented tea candles from Sokenbicha (sokenbicha looks really ugly in romaji; 爽健美茶 is much nicer!) that I really should light one day!
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[part 1 | part 2]

DIMSDRIVE Research recently carried out a survey on free presents given away with foodstuffs, a rather popular method of promotion here in Japan. They surveyed 5,925 people, 2,410 male, from all over the country by means of an internet-based questionnaire in mid-December. The average age of the men was 40.2 years old, and of the women 35.7.

First a quick Japanese lesson! The word used for these free presents is 食玩, shokugan, which as of the time of writing doesn’t appear in any online Japanese to English dictionary, but hopefully that will soon be rectified by Jim Breen and his WWWJDIC. I’ll use the term “free gift” as the translation of the term for the purposes of this post.

Next, a British English to American English lesson! “Sweetie” is “candy”, “rubbish” is “trash”.

The picture up top, taken from my mobile phone, so excuse the poor quality, is of my PC case at work. The figures all came free with Diet Coke through various promotions surrounding One Piece, Lupin III and Dragonball Z.
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In December, DIMSDRIVE Research interviewed 5,000 people, 2,457 male, from their internet monitor group about their views on the top e-business news stories of 2005. The age demographics were 1.4% in their teens, 15.6% in their twenties, 34.3% in their thirties, 28.7% in their forties, 13.3% in their fifties, and 6.7% aged sixty or over.

I find it interesting that the women rated IT firms buying baseball teams more highly than the men, as baseball does tend to have a more male image. I personally would have rated spyware and phishing more highly, but I don’t the the subject has got as much coverage in the Japanese press as it gets in the west.

I don’t think I need a crystal ball to predict what the biggest story of 2006 will be.
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DIMSDRIVE Research asked 4,205 people, 2,129 of them male, to name a great company founder or proprietor, in an internet-based survey carried out at the start of October last year.

Note the date that this was taken. It was before the problem with the Matsushita Fan Heaters cropped up, and before Takafumi Horie found himself in hot water regarding some share dealing. Since this second story is currently under criminal investigation, I will refain from comment, although I do note that there seems to be some element of the population that back Horiemon, and in fact some are suggesting that he will emerge from this scandal stronger, not weaker.

Regarding the Matsushita problem, however, I felt their response was very thorough, especially compared to the recent problems with Mitsubishi truck wheels falling off, and if anything too thorough, as for a month they pulled all their TV advertising and replaced them with simple information spots about the product recall, manned almost every kerosene stand with employees to ask purchasers if they have a National Fan Heater, and had leaflets distributed with everyone’s gas bill.

Why Japan has so many paraffin heaters is another matter altogether; even in my brand new block of flats with the almost unheard of luxury of double or bonded pair glazing on all windows and underfloor heating, the people directly above us own one. Thank goodness our place is also kitted out with a full complement of smoke detectors!
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