DIMSDRIVE Research recently published a survey from April that they conducted into views on marriage.
Demographics
Between the 14th and 29th of April 2010 7,764 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group comnpleted a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.6% of the sample were male, 0.9% in their teens, 10.8% in their twenties, 30.6% in their thirties, 32.0% in their forties, 17.3% in their fifties, and 8.4% aged sixty or older.
I think Q3 should be an essential point of reference for any journalist writing about konkatsu, showing that just 3% of single people are hunting for a wedding partner, and the other 13% doing something might just be asking friends if they know anyone unattached.
Talking of konkatsu, I found this silly little story about the Lucky Star cartoon-featured Washinomiya Shrine’s otaku dating event.
Research results
Q1: Are you married? (Sample size=7,764)
| Never married (to SQ1 and SQ2) |
30.8% |
| Have wedding date set |
1.0% |
| Currently married |
62.6% |
| Used to be married |
5.6% |
Q1SQ1: Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend? (Sample size=2,934)
Q1SQ2: Would you like to get married some day? (Sample size=2,934)
| |
This survey
2010 |
Last survey
2005 |
| Very much want to (to SQ3) |
20.5% |
26.4% |
| Perhaps want to (to SQ3) |
32.2% |
43.9% |
| Can’t say |
24.8% |
13.2% |
| Don’t really want to |
9.2% |
8.1% |
| Don’t want to |
13.3% |
8.4% |
Q1SQ3: About when would you like to get married by? (Sample size=1,261)
| |
This survey
2010 |
Last survey
2005 |
| As quickly as possible |
29.5% |
20.1% |
| Within a year |
5.8% |
6.5% |
| Within two years |
14.4% |
17.9% |
| Within three years |
10.5% |
14.5% |
| Within five years |
9.9% |
12.0% |
| More than five years hence |
4.7% |
5.7% |
| Whenever, not thought of when |
25.2% |
23.3% |
The following question was from those already married or with a date set from Q1 (Group A) and those interested in getting married from Q1SQ2 (Group B). I’ll stick with the present tense in the answers.
Q2: Why did you, do you want to get married? (Sample size=6,196, multiple answer)
| |
Group A
N=4,935 |
Group B
N=1,261 |
| Want to be with someone I loved |
60.2% |
65.1% |
| Can mentally settle, relax |
47.2% |
58.0% |
| Want to have a family |
45.9% |
48.9% |
| Want to be happy |
33.5% |
41.0% |
| Want children |
28.1% |
46.2% |
| Want my parents to feel at ease |
25.8% |
39.7% |
| Want financial security |
19.5% |
25.7% |
| Worried about old age |
10.1% |
28.2% |
| For public image |
9.7% |
13.1% |
| Social status, appear trustworthy |
8.8% |
9.7% |
| Want to do housework |
5.1% |
7.1% |
| Other |
1.8% |
0.6% |
| No particular reason |
7.1% |
3.3% |
The next question was for the unmarried people who wanted to or who didn’t know if they wanted to from Q1SQ2.
Q3: Are you doing any kind of “konkatsu”, marriage partner searching activities? (Sample size=1,855)
| |
Male
N=1,084 |
Female
N=771 |
| Putting effort into it (to SQs) |
3.3% |
3.0% |
| Doing a little here and there (to SQs) |
12.8% |
13.1% |
| Not doing anything |
83.9% |
83.9% |
Not surprisingly, those who wanted to get married were more active with their partner seeking than those who didn’t. However, there was very little difference between those with and without a partner; 17.8% versus 15.4% doing some kind of activity.
Q3SQ1: What kinds of “konkatsu” are you doing? (Sample size=299, multiple answer)
| Introductions from friends |
45.5% |
| Attending gokon group dating parties |
25.4% |
| Doing “Omiai” matchmaking (including via internet) |
22.7% |
| Participating in internet communities (SNS, Twitter, etc) |
20.7% |
| Using a dating agency (including via internet) |
17.4% |
| Participating in konkatsu parties |
17.1% |
| Participating in hobby circles, etc |
15.7% |
| Attending classes to improve myself |
14.0% |
| Participating in networking events with people from other industries |
10.0% |
| Attending classes to meet people |
3.3% |
| Other |
3.3% |
Q3SQ2: About how much per month would be your limit to spend on “konkatsu”? (Sample size=299)
| Nothing |
27.9% |
| Under 5,000 yen |
11.4% |
| 5,000 to 9,999 yen |
13.0% |
| 10,000 to 19,999 yen |
8.0% |
| 20,000 to 29,999 yen |
4.7% |
| 30,000 to 49,999 yen |
4.0% |
| 50,000 to 99,999 yen |
6.0% |
| 100,000 to 199,999 yen |
3.3% |
| 200,000 to 299,999 yen |
4.7% |
| 300,000 to 499,999 yen |
2.3% |
| 500,000 to 999,999 yen |
0.3% |
| 1,000,000 yen or more |
0.7% |
| Don’t know |
13.7% |
The next question was for the married people from Q1.
Q4: How long have you been married for? (Sample size=4,854)
| Up to a year |
2.7% |
| Two to three years |
6.7% |
| Four to five years |
7.3% |
| Six to seven years |
7.1% |
| Eight to nine years |
6.2% |
| Ten to fourteen years |
16.1% |
| Fifteen to nineteen years |
15.9% |
| Twenty to twenty-four years |
13.4% |
| Twenty-five to twenty-nine years |
9.2% |
| Thirty to thirty-nine years |
11.4% |
| Forty years or more |
4.0% |
Q5: Are you happy that you got married? (Sample size=4,854)
| Really happy |
37.0% |
| Reasonably happy |
36.0% |
| Sort-of happy |
13.4% |
| Can’t really say |
8.3% |
| Not really happy |
3.1% |
| Not at all happy |
2.2% |
Happiness peaked between the second and third year, then it was all downhill until the twenty-fifth year.
DIMSDRIVE Research recently published a survey from April that they conducted into views on marriage.
3 Comments
Japanese views on dating - Page 11 - JapanForum.com · November 16, 2010 at 09:11
[…] Originally Posted by MMM How things play out in Southern CA are different than almost anywhere else in the world. To be clear, snack bars are not populated with "scantily clad" women. Generally snack hostesses wear colorful versions of business type wear (skirts with blouses and jackets). Also to be clear, snack hostesses do not traditionally sleep with their clients. It's a bar, not a whorehouse. Why would you say that? When I worked at a high school I went with colleagues to snack bars all the time (often with female teachers). No one went there to have sex, we went there to have good service and conversation. I think there was a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to suggest that they are about sex. I suspect that it does happen, but that would be the exception to the rule. As far as scantily clad women go… I should be clear by stating that it definitely depends on the place (no nudity unless you go to a place for that, but that's not what we're talking about). I've been to a ton of snack bars, so I'm talking about my experience. I know there are some where the women wear more conservative style clothing and some where that is definitely not the case. I'm not just talking about one single experience, I've been to many places in multiple prefectures. I didn't mean to imply that people go to those places to have sex. I think that by and large though, people go there to get good service and have conversation with pretty women (the last part being the key word). The woman doesn't have to be young or anything either. While some women don't mind going there, I know for sure that a lot are uncomfortable with it and just kind of go out of obligation (to the boss, friends, not to go against the grain, or whatever). And while I'm pretty sure those places have a strict policy of no touching etc that rule can and does get broken at some places for sure (because I've seen it and heard of it at multiple places). Not to make them seem horrible. I personally like them a lot depending on the situation. I used to go a lot to one in particular because it was really cheap. It's like Go Native said, you have a bit to drink, sing some karaoke, and just kinda joke around with people. The place I used to love had all you can drink and all you can sing for a very reasonable price (Cheaper than going to a karaoke place!). As far as the technical term for what I'm talking about goes, there's not really a line drawn around here as far as I can tell. They're all called snack bars and that's for certain. Maybe that could be a regional thing? I have no idea, but around here "snack" implies every one of the things we're talking about. In one room you might have a bar and kind of a lounge-esque area. Some of them might just have a bar. In fact, I've heard some of the crazier stories from the ones that are just "bars" (without the loungey area… ie a smaller place). As far as a "traditional" bar (from the American point of view goes) there are a few of those in my town as well. Those are not called snacks by any means by the people here. I'll make it clear though, I don't want to argue the difference between a snack and a hostess club. I'm not familiar with the English phrases and all that anyways. As far as the Japanese around here goes, they call what I (and you guys) have been describing a "snack". Granted there are many variations of a snack, the people here call all of them a snack (not to be confused with a simple bar, which isn't called a snack at least around here). As far as "food" goes, most of the ones I've been to will bring out a bowl of… snacks (like the Japanese version of a chex mix and some chocolates and stuff). I've only been to a few where they served like cooked food (nothing to get full off of). At any rate, I wanted to share this link with you guys. The title is "Views on marriage in Japan". (it's a translated survey with a bit of commentary). Views on marriage in Japan | 世論 What Japan Thinks […]
Blog Review: 世論 What Japan Thinks « What can I do with a B.A. in Japanese Studies? · May 14, 2011 at 03:47
[…] the “Lifestyles†tag has led to a few interesting discoveries. The surveys pertaining to marriage and views on family life are notably […]
On the Death of Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外é¢ä¹å¤©ã§ã™ · July 6, 2011 at 22:55
[…] shocking 84 percent of single people in this survey said they simply weren’t doing anything to find […]