世論 What Japan Thinks

Here’s an interesting survey from goo Research that I wish had been around a month ago, as the topic was quite hot then. Regardless, I present it anyway, a look at why Japanese are unable to find a partner for many a year, for both women and men.

Demographics

The survey was conducted between the 4th and 8th of October 2013 where 1,074 people completed a private web-based questionnaire. However, goo Ranking have recently revamped their ranking page and have dropped the link to their demographics. 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 reason I say it was a hot topic was because there was a rash of “sexless youth” stories based on a poorly-translated or misconstrued survey into young people and relationships.
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There’s been a lot of surveys over the past few years about single Japanese and their widespread disinterest in matters of love, so as another datapoint I present this survey from the Nikkei newspaper (Japan’s Financial Times) into single working women’s real love situation.

Demographics

During the month of June 430 single female readers of the Nikkei newspaper aged in their twenties or thirties completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The average age was 32.9 years old, the average salary was 3,077,000 yen, and the average number of people they had had a relationship with was 3.6.

A colleague at work would fall into the sample demographic above (perhaps she even did answer it!) and the impression I get from what she talks about and her Facebook posts is that she’s far too into girls’ nights out to be bothered with all this love nonsense. On the other hand, Japanese seem to keep their relationships secret, so I can’t say I know what is really going on!
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goo Ranking had an interesting survey on stereotypes of single people in their thirties and looking for love, for both women and men. Note that this time both sexes voted in both the surveys.

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.

As someone who was single for half my thirties, I can identify with a lot of them, in particular number 19 for the guys, which was one that did actually come true!
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PR Times printed a press release from Kanro, a sweets maker, who conducted a survey into love charms, as part of a promotion of a new product they have, “Magical Pure”, a pureed gummy (Jelly Baby) type of thing, with a special promotional site featuring Perfume that quite badly killed my browser!

Demographics

Over the 25th and 26th of April 2013 242 young women aged between 20 and 39 completed an internet survey, but how they were selected is not described.

Being far too rational, I have zero belief in any of this nonsense, and not even when I was a teenager did I indulge, although admittedly it was probably because I wasn’t really interested in all that sort of thing while I was at school.

Anyway, enough about me, on with the survey!
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Not a very festive note to end the year on, but I liked the topic of this goo Ranking, into the moments when one realises one still has feelings for their ex, for both women and their ex-boyfriends and men and their ex-girlfriends.

Demographics

Between the 5th and 7th of November 2012 1,049 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 58.8% of the sample were female, 10.2% in their teens, 14.6% in their twenties, 27.5% in their thirties, 25.1% in their forties, 11.0% in their fifties, and 11.7% 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’ve never had the experience of this myself, but I remember one time putting my foot in it with a rather tactless email to a friend about his ex which probably put him in situation number 8 for the men. I’m not going to tell you the details, however, at least not in a space where my mother is listening!

The difference in roles in Japanese society is highlighted by comparing the female #11, a hidden high salary, to the male #12, hidden housework skills. A recent survey (which I should really translate!) highlighted that 51% of Japanese men thought basically that the woman’s place is in the kitchen.
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The Japanese have a reputation for not meeting eyes during normal conversation, but what happens when they catch the eye of someone of the opposite sex who they fancy? This was the subject of a ranking survey by goo Ranking, for both men meeting women’s eyes.

Demographics

Over the 25th and 26th of November 2012 1,074 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 57.4% of the sample were female, 11.6% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 26.9% in their thirties, 25.0% in their forties, 11.1% in their fifties, and 10.7% 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.

So, what did you do?
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Or into anyone of any age’s heart, in this survey from goo Ranking looking at what moments make people feel they wanted a lover, despite not normally thinking about the matter. I presume for already happily-married people they recalled their youth.

Demographics

From the 5th to the 7th of September 2012 1,006 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.4% of the sample were female, 10.5% in their teens, 13.7% in their twenties, 26.6% in their thirties, 27.6% in their forties, 11.7% in their fifties, and 9.9% 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.

For me, it was probably number 2 at New Year that was one of the strongest impulses! Seeing this in my living room would do the trick too:

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Here’s a sweet survey from goo Ranking, looking at the flames of teenage passion that one has forgotten as an adult.

Demographics

From the 6th to the 9th of July 2012 1,016 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 60.0% of the sample were female, 9.9% in their teens, 12.7% in their twenties, 29.0% in their thirties, 27.0% in their forties, 11.0% in their fifties, and 10.3% 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.

Looking at the answers, a common theme in many of them appears to be undeclared or unrequited love, which is not an unusual occurance in Japanese schools, as far as I am aware. I was totally unaware of anything when I was in school, so I cannot give a comparison with the Scottish situation! Note, I’ve translated everything in the present tense as I think the answers read better with a sense of immediacy.
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goo Ranking’s slightly sideways looks at love this week focuses on what people end up doing after they get a new boyfriend or girlfriend, for both women and men.

Demographics

Over the 19th and 20th of April 2012 1,092 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 60.5% of the sample were female, 11.3% in their teens, 17.0% in their twenties, 28.4% in their thirties, 25.5% in their forties, 10.2% in their fifties, and 7.7% 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 remember one of the dates I went on we did get a computer-generated love compatibility horoscope done, but it was completely unable to cope with foreign names. I cannot remember what we did, or even what the outcome of it was, but I do remember thinking that paying 1,000 yen for it was a rip-off!

Talking of love compatibility horoscopes, here’s one I prepared earlier:

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goo Ranking recently reported on a survey quite similar to one last year, only this time it was looking at the stage before relationships, the point at when one’s one-sided feelings of affections ran cold, for both women looking at men and men looking at women.

Demographics

Over the 29th of February and the 1st of March 2012 1,175 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 61.4% of the sample were female, 10.0% in their teens, 16.5% in their twenties, 29.3% in their thirties, 24.1% in their forties, 10.6% in their fifties, and 9.5% 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.
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