世論 What Japan Thinks

This is the first survey I have picked up from Ponta Research, a look at summer holiday travel plans for this year.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 11th of June 2013 2,523 members of the Ponta Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.4% of the sample were female, 18.7% were in their twenties, 19.1% in their thirties, 19.7% in their forties, 21.1% in their fifties, and 21.3% in their sixties. Furthermore, all lived in either Tokyo and the surrounding six prefectures, or Osaka and the surrounding four prefectures.

Ponta is a point card offered by the convenience store chain Lawson and supported by many other major companies.

If you’re planning to climb Mount Fuji this summer, be prepared for double if not triple the traffic in this photo, since it got awarded World Heritage status this year:

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Rakuten Research recently looked at summer heat countermeasures.

Demographics

Over the 14th and 15th of June 2013 500 members of the Rakuten Research monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female, and the ages of both sexes were 50:50 twenties and thirties.

I am under the impression that sweating is a good way to if not cool off, at least feel better, so having hot drinks (when inside) or something spicy must be a good way to counteract the heat. As I’ve said at least twice before (perhaps I should try to get an affiliate account to make some money off this?), I’ve also started wearing AIRism from Uniqlo, and it quite nicely prevents the horrible sticky, sweaty back feeling I normally get wearing just a shirt.
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This weekend has seen the start of the annual pilgramage away from the cities to one’s hometown, so goo Ranking decided to take a look at when people feel “It’s time I returned” after spending a few summer days with their parents in the countryside.

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.

When I lived in Scotland I enjoyed going home for Christmas, but I suppose I felt I wanted to return when I ran out of conversation topics! However, now living on the other side of the world, the chances for returning are few and the time always feels so short, so my answer to the question now would be “Never!”
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With the temperature hovering around 35 degrees Celcius outside, and Cool Biz meaning that it’s about 28 degrees Celcius inside the typical office, tempers are bound to be frayed, so this survey from goo Ranking looked at what aspects of their co-workers annoyed people in the office in summer.

Demographics

Over the 8th and 9th of June 2012 1,092 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 60.1% of the sample were female, 10.8% in their teens, 15.8% in their twenties, 28.9% in their thirties, 26.3% in their forties, 10.2% in their fifties, and 8.0% 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’m probably guilty of causing the first (or more correctly number 16), as I have some scented underarm deodorant in the office, so I’m sure my colleagues at least notice it! I also do tend to get a bit shivery when the air conditioner is over-strong. Number 10 annoys me, although the one person who excessively faps his fan at least does work.
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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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With a longer and hotter summer than usual in Japan, tempers inevitably fray, so goo Ranking took a look at what tends to be the cause of lovers’ tiffs in summer, for both men and women. However, looking at the answers there seems to be no pattern to which side starts the argument.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of July 2010 1,159 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 63.4% of the sample were female, 12.4% in their teens, 21.1% in their twenties, 28.3% in their thirties, 23.6% in their forties, 8.2% in their fifties, and 6.4% 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.

What most irritates me in summer (although it hasn’t started an argument, yet…) is my wife’s constant utterances of “it’s hot!” roughly every two minutes, even when inside air-conditioned facilities. Her cooler settings at bed time are also far too low, but I just snuggle up a bit more…
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Following on from the earlier survey into summer plans, iShare also took a look at beach fun.

Demographics

Between the 14th and 17th of June 2010 475 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 55.4% of the sample were male, 28.6% in their twenties, 34.3% in their thirties, and 37.1% in their forties.

I did once get invited to the beach by a nubile Japanese female, but that’s a story for another day…

I don’t want to go to the beach in Japan this summer and based on photos like this one from Yuki Naotori on flickr, I have no intention of ever going. In particular, having grown up with vast, empty, clean (barring the seaweed) sandy beaches, Japanese beaches could only be an anti-climax.

With the rainy season lifting this weekend in Japan (we’ve just had a cracker of an electrical storm to finish it off!) this survey (well, actually just a single question) from iShare looked at people’s main plan for the summer.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 22nd of June 2010 481 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.7% of the sample were male, 32.2% in their twenties, 33.3% in their thirties, and 34.5% in their forties.

My plans for the summer are first taking the in-laws for a drive round some graveyards, then going to see an amateur play that my wife’s schoolmate is appearing in. If I had a free choice, I’d spend a week asleep…
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From next weekend it’s the summer holidays for most Japanese workers, so goo Ranking took a look at what summer activity people think would be a good way to get their date alone, for both men and women.

Demographics

Between the 22nd and 24th of June 2009 1,180 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 58.6% of the sample were female, 10.3% were in their teens, 22.9% in their twenties, 31.5% in their thirties, 19.2% in their forties, 9.6% in their fifties, and 6.4% 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’m split between whether the results of this survey are sweet and innocent, or naive and repressed. Watching fireflies is a good answer, but water pistol fights? Doing dares? I’m also not sure how beach volleyball fits in – is it one-on-one? Two-a-side mixed doubles?
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I’m personally not convinced that natsu-bate, fatigue brought on by the summer heat, really does exist as a diagnosable illness, or whether it is just another thing the Japanese like to complain about, just like stiff shoulders. Regardless of whether it is real or not, here comes another slighly incongruous double-header from goo Research, conducted in conjunction with the Yomiuri Shimbun, looking at both the upcoming upper house elections and the summer heat.

Demographics

Between the 22nd and 24th of June 2007 546 people in their teens to their thirties who were members of the goo Research monitor group completed an internet-based questionnaire. The group was split 50:50 male and female, and 37% attended school or university, 26% were full-time company employees, and 13% were homemakers. More detailed information was not presented.

I’m not particularly surprised by Junichiro Koizumi coming tops of the poll, and Abe barely ranking, but I am surprised by the foreign secretary Taro Aso coming second, but after his recent Alzheimer’s comment, I wonder if he would drop out of the rankings were the survey repeated today.
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