Poll P09-17| Asian Opinion Poll Database

Methodology
The poll was conducted by telephone on July 4 and 5 with voters from across Japan , whose telephone numbers were selected by a computer at random. Subjects were selected using a three-stage random sampling method (the Asahi RDD). The total number of those polled was 1,806, with 1,052 responses and a 58% response rate. Decimals were rounded up. The numbers in ( ) are the results from a poll conducted on June 13 and 14, 2009.

Disclaimer
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Asahi Shimbun poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use

Q1. Do you support or not support the Aso Cabinet?

Support	20% (19)
Do not support	68% (65)

Q2. Which political party do you currently support?

Liberal Democratic Party	24% (22)
Democratic Party ofJapan	25% (29)
New Komeito	3% (3)
JapanCommunist Party	2% (2)
Social Democratic Party	1% (1)
The People’s New Party	0% (0)
Reform Club	0% (0)
The New Party ofJapan	0% (0)
Other party	0% (0)
Do not support any party	39% (37)
No Answer/Do not know	6% (6)

Q3. A general election will be held for the House of Representatives soon. To what extent are you interested in this election? Please select one from the following choices:

Very interested	38%
Somewhat interested	36%
Not very interested	20%
Not at all interested	6%

Q4. If the general election were being held today, which party would you vote for in your proportional-representation district? Please answer with the party’s name.

Liberal Democratic Party	22% (23)
Democratic Party ofJapan	37% (43)
New Komeito	4% (3)
JapanCommunist Party	4% (3)
Social Democratic Party	1% (1)
The People’s New Party	0% (0)
Reform Club	0% (0)
The New Party ofJapan	0% (0)
Other party	1% (1)
No Answer/Do not know	31% (26)

Q5. Next, which party’s candidate would you vote for in your small electoral district? Please answer with the party’s name.

Liberal Democratic Party	22%
Democratic Party ofJapan	32%
New Komeito	2%
JapanCommunist Party	2%
Social Democratic Party	1%
The People’s New Party	0%
Reform Club	0%
The New Party ofJapan	0%
Other party	0%
Independent candidate	2%
No Answer/Do not know	39%

Q6. Do you think it would be best for the administration to continue to be centered on the LDP? Or do you think that there should be a change to an administration centered on the Democratic Party of Japan?

Administration centered on the LDP	24% (23)
Administration centered on the DPJ	47% (52)

Q7. Between Prime Minister [Taro] Aso and DPJ President [Yukio] Hatoyama, who do you think is more suited to be prime minister?

Mr. Aso	22% (24)
Mr. Hatoyama	42% (42)

Q8. Prime Minister Aso added two more members to his cabinet despite strong opposition from his own party. Do you approve or not approve of Prime Minister Aso’s decision?

Approve	16%
Do not approve	68%

Q9. Some members of the LDP have called for an LDP presidential election before the general election in a bid to remove Prime Minister Aso from the leadership. Do you accept or not accept moves such as this within the LDP?

Accept	22%
Do not accept	65%

Q10. LDP Election Strategy Council Chairman [Makoto] Koga has made a request to Miyazaki Governor Hideo Higashikokubaru to run on an LDP ticket at the next general election. As a result, has your impression of the LDP improved, worsened or not changed?

Impression has improved	7%
Impression has worsened	44%
Impression has not changed	47%

Q11. It has come to light that Democratic Party of Japan leader [Yukio] Hatoyama’s political fund management body used the names of dead people to make false statements in its funding reports. Representative Hatoyama has stated that the money came from his own pocket and insisted that his secretary in charge acted on his own to make it seem like the cash was donated from individuals to make up for a shortfall in revenue and that he was not thinking about resigning as DPJ leader. Do you accept or not accept Mr. Hatoyama’s decision on this matter?

Accept	27%
Do not accept	60%

Asahi Shimbun July 2009 Emergency Public Opinion Poll