世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1][part 2]

The Cabinet Office Japan recently published the results of their survey into physical strength and sports amongst the Japanese population.

Demographics

Between the 24th of September and the 4th of October 2009 3,000 adults randomly selected from population rolls from all over the country were approached for face-to-face interviews. Of the 3,000, 1,925 people, or 64.2%, were able and willing to take part in the survey. The main reasons for not taking part were refusal and not being in when the inverviewer visited. 54.2% of the sample were female, 9.2% in their twenties, 15.0% in their thirties, 17.4% in their forties, 19.6% in their fifties, 22.5% in their sixties, and 16.3% aged seventy or older.

I find it curious that many people think that kids today have a worse sport and play environment than when they were kids. I can understand about the lack of empty spaces (although I would have thought that parental paranoia about kids in empty spaces would have been more of a factor), but having less time to play is perhaps the fault of the parents and schools, a mixture of parents sending their kids to cram schools and schools and their after-school club activities.
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[part 1][part 2]

The Cabinet Office Japan recently published the results of their survey into physical strength and sports amongst the Japanese population.

Demographics

Between the 24th of September and the 4th of October 2009 3,000 adults randomly selected from population rolls from all over the country were approached for face-to-face interviews. Of the 3,000, 1,925 people, or 64.2%, were able and willing to take part in the survey. The main reasons for not taking part were refusal and not being in when the inverviewer visited. 54.2% of the sample were female, 9.2% in their twenties, 15.0% in their thirties, 17.4% in their forties, 19.6% in their fifties, 22.5% in their sixties, and 16.3% aged seventy or older.

Ahh, a sport survey, so it must be an excuse for my frequent refrain of how I plan to buy a Wii Fit and get into some sort of less round shape.

My employer offers a discount on sports gym membership, but it’s some pretty pathetic percentage off a full-price membership for only one or two gyms in a chain neither of which are convenient for home.
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Recently, Central Research Services Inc looked at the matter of popular sports

Demographics

Between the 1st and 9th of June 2009 4,000 adult members of the public were randomly selected, and 1,244 of them, or 31.1%, agreed to answer the questionnaire in face-to-face interviews. More specific demographic information was not provided.

I don’t think there’s anything of particular note in the results below, but it’s nice to translate it and keep it as a permanent record for searchers.
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This survey from MyVoice into corporate sports looked at the issue of companies funding their own teams that, on the whole, compete in corporate leagues filled with lots of other company-funded teams.

Demographics

Over the first five days of May 2009 14,884 members of the MyVoice internet community successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 34% in their thirties, 31% in their forties, and 19% aged fifty or older.

There’s a lot of corporate teams in Japan where the sportspeople are employed full-time by the company to be representatives, although the current harsh economic times has seen the death of the amuzingly-named Seibu Prince Rabbits.

My employer also has such teams, with basketball being the main sport that I can think of.
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With the Olympics over for another four years and the South Africa World Cup still two years away, this is a good time to take a look with MyVoice at sports, their third look at the subject. Incidentally, if you want to find out more about sports in Japan, be sure to check out this month’s Japan Blog Matsuri on sport in Japan!

Demographics

Over the first five days of October 2008 14,560 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 17% aged fifty or older.

I don’t have time to watch sport on the television, especially with wall-to-wall baseball, in which I have zero interest, and even if I had the time, the wife owns the remote control…

I used to be a big Formula 1 fan, having attended Suzuka thrice, but even though last month I came across the start of the Japan Grand Prix live on television, both Hamilton and Coulthard piled up on the first lap and the Fuji circuit was totally unfamiliar to me, so I gave up and did the hoovering instead.
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Recently, Yahoo! Japan Value Insight, in conjunction with Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, took a close look at sports. The full report seems to have lots of interesting information, but this publically-released article contains just the highlights, although these in themselves have some interesting answers.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 4th of September 2007 2,000 members of the Yahoo! Japan Value Insight Questionnaire Panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The group was split 50:50 male and female, and the ages of the respondents ranged from 15 to 69.

One may notice that the traditional national sport of Japan, sumo, does not feature in the top five of Q1

I also found it interesting in Q10 that compared to men, women were more interested in schoolboys than grown men, as it were. High school baseball and the high school golfer found more favour with the females questioned.
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