世論 What Japan Thinks

Mobile Marketing Data Laboratories recently conducted a survey into a minor social problem that has grown along with smartphone usage, that of using one’s smartphone while walking.

Demographics

Between the 13th and 15th of November 2013 558 members of the MMD Labo monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. All the people were smartphone users, and the demographics say that the sample was aged between 20 and 59 years old, but looking at Q1 I can see that 18 and 19 year olds, and those 60 or older were also questioned. No further demographic information was provided.

Talking of walking with smartphones, Japan Times recently stretched the definition of “news” rather too far with the author of this piece suggesting that negative press about walking with smartphones was a plot by Japan Inc. to spoil the iPhone 5s and 5c launch.

I don’t believe in coincidences. From Sept. 20, NTT Docomo, Softbank and au all began selling Apple’s newest-model iPhones, and I suspect the big difference is that foreign brands are threatening to expand their dominance of the market. So behind this wave of complaints is wounded national pride and concerns that Japanese firms are being nudged out of their own (very lucrative) market.

What a load of nonsense, but sadly reflective of the current editorial bent of newspaper, and also not the worst nonsense they have printed under a “news” headline.
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japan,internet.com recently reported on a survey by goo Research into mobile phones in daily life, concentrating in the article on the use of mobile phones when walking and cycling.

Demographics

Between the 14th and 17th of March 2013 1,071 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.8% of the sample were male, 16.8% in their teens, 18.4% in their twenties, 21.3% in their thirties, 16.4% in their forties, 15.4% in their fifties, and 11.7% aged sixty or older.

This is a quite timely survey, as just a couple of days ago there was the news that a 10-year-old boy fell off a Tokyo station platform while using his mobile phone.
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A recent report from japan.internet.com on a survey conducted by goo Research into mobile phone manners found that most people are not far from their mobile phones.

Demographics

Between the 27th of April and the 6th of May 2011 1,092 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.6% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 21.6% in their thirties, 16.0% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 12.1% aged sixty or older.

One curious omission from Q1SQ is watching television or video; I don’t think just 0.5% have done so!

Also, although just 1.1% reported regularly talking on their phones on trains, I suspect that meant people who make calls without bothering about the annoyance they might be causing others. In my experience there’s always one or two people furtively making or receiving calls when I ride the train home!
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Last month’s earthquake resulted in just about all the trains around Tokyo being cancelled, so in a recent survey from goo Research into the day the earthquake occurred, japan.internet.com’s report focused on how people got home.

Demographics

Between the 31st of March and the 2nd of April 2011 1,079 members of the goo Research monitor group who lived in either Tokyo or the surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa and Saitama completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.0% of the sample were male, 16.7% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 21.5% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.8% in their fifties, and 11.9% aged sixty or older.

In an earlier survey from iShare, I did express surprise that about 85% claimed they could walk home, but this survey does seem to back up that figure.

I know that one of my fellow bloggers got stuck in Disneyland after the earthquake, but he didn’t try walking home from there…
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iShare’s latest look at disaster-related topics was related to walking home, specifically in the case of a major earthquake that knocked the trains out, could people get back home from work or school under their own steam.

Demographics

On the 29th and 30th of March 2011 1,697 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.3% of the sample were male, 3.6% in their twenties, 47.0% in their thirties, and 49.4% in their forties.

I’l quite surprised at the number who said they could make their own way home, given that the average commute time for Japanese is about an hour each way, most of which is in a train. I roughly know how to get home from work, but if I took a “follow the railway line” one I’d have to go through the centre of Osaka which is liable to be flooded by any tsunami that would follow a major Nankai earthquake. The other railway line to follow home is a raised monorail, so following it would also be difficult, and given that it’s about 30 kilometres home as the crow flies, I’d commandeer a bicycle…
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