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NIKKEI SHIMBUN JANUARY 2008 OPINION POLLS (P08-01)

Nikkei Shimbun January 2008 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

January 1-11, 2008

Copyright

Nikkei Shimbun

Methodology

Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.

Key Issues

Support for the Fukuda Cabinet
Laws relating to Self Defense Forces/refueling mission in the Indian Ocean
Passage of the 2008 budget
Possible censure motion against Fukuda

Background

The Fukuda Cabinet, announced in September of 2007, inherited the Abe administration’s troublesome task of extending the anti-terrorism special measures law, which allowed the Maritime Self Defense Forces to participate in refueling operations in the Indian Ocean . Unable to come to a compromise with the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the bill expired on November 1, and the MSDF were withdrawn from the region.

The bill was resubmitted in slightly different form and passed the Lower House in November, where the ruling coalition has a two-thirds majority. Under Japan 's constitution, if a bill fails to clear the Upper House within 60 days, the bill can be sent back to the Lower House for a second vote. Excising this right for the first time since 1951, the new bill came into force after a second vote in the Lower House on January 11, when the Upper House finally voted it down; the extraordinary session was extended twice just to allow enough time for the government to pass the bill.

After suffering an electoral beating in July 2007, the LDP has been placed in a difficult position where the obstructionist DPJ controls the Upper House, thus bringing Diet activities to a standstill. That the government had to resort to the seldom-employed tactic of taking a second vote in the Lower House illustrates the direness of the situation. Passage of the 2008 budget, if stalled, could also be subject to this approach.

Link to Original Source

http://www.nikkei-r.co.jp/phone/results/popup/y200801a.html

Disclaimer

The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Nikkei Telephone poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use

Survey:

All numbers are percentages.

Q1. Do you support or not support the Fukuda cabinet? (N=744)

Support	42
Do not support	46
No answer/do not know	12

Q1SQ1. For those who answered “support”: What are the reasons for your support? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven answers. (N=311)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	29
Good policies	8
Good sense of international affairs	10
Leadership	8
Stability	21
Trustworthy character of members	39
Politically clean	15
Others	4
No answer/do not know	7

Q1SQ2. For those who answered “do not support,” what are the reasons for not supporting? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven answers. (N=341)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	27
Bad policies	30
Bad sense of international affairs	10
Lack of leadership	51
Instability	25
Members not trustworthy	16
Politically not clean	3
Others	2
No answer/do not know	2

Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please choose only one. (N=744)

Liberal Democratic Party	31
Democratic Party ofJapan	21
Komeito	4
JapanCommunist Party	2
Social Democratic Party	2
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other political party	1
Do not support any party	33
No answer/do not know	6

Q2SQ. For those who answered “do not support any party” or “no answer/do not know,” if you are to name one, which political party do you favor? (N=291)

Liberal Democratic Party	13
Democratic Party ofJapan	23
Komeito	1
JapanCommunist Party	2
Social Democratic Party	2
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other political party	1
Do not favor any party	41
No answer/do not know	16

[Support + Preferable Parties (N=744)]

Liberal Democratic Party	36
Democratic Party ofJapan	30
Komeito	4
JapanCommunist Party	3
Social Democratic Party	3
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other political party	1
Do not support or favor any party	16
No answer/do not know	6

Q3. Do you approve or not of the performance of the Fukuda cabinet? (N=744)

Approve	34
Do not approve	47
Cannot say either	8
No answer/do not know	11

Q3SQ1. For those who answered “approve,” what is the biggest reason for your approval? Please choose one from the following answers. (N=253)

Stance on local revitalization	3
Efforts toward fiscal reform and economy policy	14
Efforts toward pension issues	25
Stance on reducingelderly'sburden of medical expenses	10
Handling of antiterrorism measures issue	13
Handling of North Korean issue	3
Handling of Ministry of Defense scandals	2
Handling of "politics and money" issues	10
Others	10
No answer/do not know	10

Q3SQ2. For those who answered “do not approve,” what is the biggest reason for your lack of approval? Please choose one from the following answers. (N=351)

Stance on local revitalization	5
Efforts toward fiscal reform and economy policy	28
Efforts toward pension issues	25
Stance on reducingelderly'sburden of medical expenses	12
Handling of antiterrorism measures issue	5
Handling of North Korean issue	2
Handling of Ministry of Defense scandals	4
Handling of "politics and money" issues	11
Others	2
No answer/do not know	4

Q4. As the new bill to resume the Maritime Self-Defense Forces refueling activities in the Indian Ocean was voted down in the Upper House, the government and ruling party held a second vote in the Lower House and passed the bill. Do you support or not support the second vote on the new refueling activities bill and its passage? (N=744)

Support	43
Oppose	38
No answer/do not know	18

Q5. The government and ruling party as well as the Democratic Party of Japan are considering the enactment of a permanent law which would allow the Self Defense Forces to be dispatched overseas at any time for the purpose of international contribution. What do you think of this? (N=744)

Approve	35
Do not approve	46
No answer/do not know	19

Q6. Do you think Prime Minister Fukuda's efforts to resolve the pension issue are credible? (N=744)

Credible	26
Not credible	56
No answer/do not know	17

Q7. In the event that the Upper House votes down the bill on next year's budget, the ruling party is prepared to hold a second vote in the Lower House to pass the bill. What is your opinion on this? (N=744)

Approve	36
Do not approve	42
No answer/do not know	22

Q8. The opposition parties have strongly criticized the Fukuda administration's management of the Diet, and are considering issuing a censure motion in the Upper House. What is your opinion on this? (N=744)

A censure motion should be issued immediately.	10
During the budget debates, depending on the situation, a censure motion should be issued	48
A censure motion should not be issued	21
Others	0
No answer/do not know	21

Q9. What kind of administration is desirable in the future? (N=744)

Liberal Democratic Party's single-party administration	7
Coalition administration centered on the LDP and Komeito	15
A DPJ-based government (non-LDP)	25
Coalition administration in which part of LDP and DPJ participates	32
Others	3
No answer/do not know	19

Q10. When do you think the dissolution of the House of Representatives and the general elections should be carried out? (N=744)

The House of Representatives should be dissolved as soon as possible	11
The House of Representatives should be dissolved after the budget is approved in spring this year	20
The House of Representatives should be dissolved after the Hokkaido G8 Toyoko Summit in July	20
It is not necessary to dissolve it in a hurry	34
Others	0
No answer/do not know	15

Polling Information

F1. Gender (Determined by the polltaker) (N=744)

Male	46
Female	54
Unknown	0

F2. How old are you? (N=744)

In my 20s	6
In my 30s	17
In my 40s	17
In my 50s	20
In my 60s	18
70 years old or older	19
Refused to answer	2

Average age: 53.9

F3. What is your occupation? (N=744)

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries	4
Employee (company or government employee, teacher, etc.)	42
Self-owned business, self-employed (including a homemaker)	11
Full-time housewife(without job only)	20
Student	1
Unemployed	20
Refused to answer	3