世論 What Japan Thinks

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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Today’s first bit of silliness is from goo Ranking as usual, loooking at when men fall in love on the internet. There’s no female version yet, but I’ll be sure to bring it to you if I see it. Note that I’m a day late, but as this Sunday’s public holiday was moved back to Monday, I shall do the same…

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. This question was for the men only.

I find it curious that most of the moments listed below would be in SNS-type situations; perhaps I am showing my age and/or habits by feeling the lack of online game or straight-forward bulletin board-type situations?
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goo Ranking recently asked some women for what trivial reasons would they rule a man out for.

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 for the women only.

For number one, quite a lot of men do this, and the reason is apparently to enable them to dig earwax out of their ears more easily.

I can’t say I’ve seen number ten but it sounds impressive. On the other hand, I’ve seen far too many men slurp pasta like it was ramen!

Sort-of connected to number five, on Friday at a work booze-up my colleagues informed me that my “hai!” (Yes!) intonation is on a rising tone, thus extremely effeminate-sounding…
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Here’s an interesting survey from goo Ranking, looking at the reasons why people cannot make relationships last, for both men and women.

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.

“Wearing a cat on my head” is a wonderful metaphor that I’d never heard before – it reminds me of the book “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat”, a book I read a long time ago but can heartily recommend. I’ve now looked up the phrase, and not suprisingly, I took the wrong meaning of the verb in the idiom 猫をかぶってしまう, neko wo kabutte shimau. There is an archaic meaning of “to be deceived”, so it would be the Japanese equivalent of “The cat hides his claws”, thus being hypocritical.

I’ll not give you my answers at they’d reveal more about me than I want you to know!
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