Majority of Japanese did not visit cinema last year

Aeon Cinema, a cinema operator, recently released the results of a survey into cinema-going habits.

Demographics

Between the 17th and 19th of January 2014 1,204 members of the public from all over Japan completed an internet questionnaire, although it is not specified how the sample was selected. 50.2% of the sample were male, 19.9% in their twenties, 19.9% in their thirties, 19.9% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.1% aged sixty or older.

Last year I probably managed about six or so movies, mostly western human drama stories. I find action and SF movies these days a bit too loud and intense; the one I went to last year was Total Recall, which was pretty atrocious.

From this summer, though, I qualify for the old folks discount at my usual chain, so perhaps I’ll be seeing more movies in the second half of the year? For the first half, I want to see Rush and The Hobbit part two, both of which are not out here yet.

Research results

Q1: Last year, 2013, how many times did you watch a movie at a cinema? (Sample size=1,204)

Never	57.8%
Once to thrice	28.2%
Four to eight times	9.1%
Nine to eleven times	1.8%
Twelve or more times	3.2%

Q2: What was the main reason why you didn’t watch more (any) movies at a cinema last year? (Sample size=1,204)

	All	Didn’t attend any movies
No films I wanted to see	14.5%	25.0%
Didn’t have time to visit the cinema	14.2%	24.6%
Not interested in movies	11.1%	19.3%
No cinemas close at hand	8.2%	14.2%
No-one to go with	3.5%	6.0%
Not interested in, hate cinemas	1.7%	2.9%
Other	4.7%	8.0%
No reason	42.2%	—

Q3: Who did you go to the cinema with last year? (Sample size=movie goers, multiple answer)

By myself	33.5%
With friends	13.9%
With boyfriend, girlfriend	5.4%
With spouse	26.3%
With children, family	20.0%
Other	0.9%

Q4: Which genres of movies did you go to see last year? (Sample size=1,204, multiple answer)

	First	Second	Third
Twenties	Domestic animation (30.4%)	Western SF, action (22.9%)	Domestic human drama (20.0%)
Thirties	Domestic animation (18.3%)	Western SF, action (13.8%)	Domestic human drama (7.1%)
Forties	Domestic human drama (18.3%)	Western SF, action (15.8%)	Domestic animation (13.3%)
Fifties	Domestic human drama (20.7%)	Western SF, action (19.5%)	Western human drama (13.7%)
Sixties plus	Domestic human drama (18.1%)	Western SF, action (14.0%)	Western human drama (13.6%)

Note that the 57.8% who didn’t go to the cinema last year were included in the calculations.

Q5: What is the appropriate length of a movie? (Sample size=1,204)

Less than an hour	1.4%
One to one and a half hours	12.0%
One and a half to two hours	55.1%
Two to two and a half hours	28.7%
Two and a half to three hours	2.2%
More than three hours	0.6%