Cabinet Office of Japan 2009 Public Opinion Survey on Diplomacy

Survey:

   

1. Japan’s Relations with Foreign Countries

Q1: Do you feel close to the United States or not? (Same question for Russia, China, South Korea, etc.) Please choose one of the following.

A) Feel close

B) Tend to feel close

C) Tend not to feel close

D) Don’t feel close

E) Don’t know  

	A) Feel close	B) Tend to feel close	C) Tend not to feel close	D) Do not feel close	E) Don’t know
United States	37.9	41.0	12.6	6.5	1.9
Russia	2.8	12.6	44.4	35.2	5.0
China	9.2	29.3	33.5	25.0	3.0
South Korea	21.7	41.4	19.8	14.4	2.7
India	5.6	24.0	33.2	26.6	10.5
Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Indonesia, etc.)	8.3	33.7	29.0	20.2	8.9
Oceana (Australia, New Zealand, etc.)	14.9	36.3	22.6	17.7	8.5
Middle East	2.3	10.7	35.4	41.2	10.4

 * See below for a comparison to the previous year’s Cabinet Office findings.

  

Q2. Do you think that the current relationship between Japan and the United States is on the whole good, or not? (Same question for Russia, China, South Korea, and India.) Please choose one of the following.

A) Good

B) Somewhat good

C) Not so good

D) Not good

E) It depends

F) Don’t know

	A) Good	B) Somewhat good	C) Not so good	D) Not good	E) It depends	F) Don’t know
United States	26.1	55.7	12.0	2.4	2.2	1.6
Russia	1.4	20.3	51.6	16.6	2.6	7.5
China	4.1	34.4	39.4	15.8	2.4	3.8
South Korea	12.3	54.2	20.9	6.4	2.2	4.0
India	4.9	33.0	31.9	10.7	4.1	15.4

 ** See below for a comparison to the previous year’s Cabinet Office findings.

  

Q3. If you have any interest in North Korean issues, please indicate as many of the following as apply. (M.T.=373.4%)

A) Political system	42.2
B) North-South issues	24.9
C) Negotiations to normalize Japan-North Korean diplomatic relations	24.2
D) Japanese abductee issue	86.7
E) Nuclear issue	76.8
F) Missile issue	67.3
G) North Korean defectors issue	35.2
H) Economic exchange, including trade/culture, sports exchange	11.9
I) Other	0.8
J) Nothing special	3.1
K) Don’t know	0.3

    

 

2. Economic Cooperation

Q4. Developed countries provide economic cooperation, including financial aid and technical assistance, to developing countries. From a comprehensive point of view, what do you think about Japan’s economic cooperation in the future? Please choose one of the following.

A) Should actively promote cooperation	26.8
B) Current level of cooperation is sufficient	48.2
C) Should cut cooperation as much as possible	17.0
D) Should stop completely	2.5
E) Don’t know	5.5

 

Q4SQa. For those who answered, “should actively promote cooperation” in Q4, why do you think so? Please choose as many as apply from the following. (N=495)

(M.T.=351.7)

A) Economic cooperation is an important means of advancing Japanese foreign policy	52.9
B) Without political stability and economic growth in developing countries the Japanese economy cannot advance	48.9
C) Economic assistance for developing countries can help Japan secure stable energy resources	37.2
D) Japan, as the number two global economy, has a responsibility to help developing countries that suffer from accumulated debts	36.8
E) It is the humanitarian duty of advanced countries to help developing countries	49.9
F) Contributing to the stability of developing countries contributes to world peace	50.1
G) Japan will be isolated if only Japan does not provide economic cooperation	23.8
H) Japan should use its technology and experience to solve developing countries’ environmental problems, etc.	51.3
I) Others	0.4
J) No specific reason	---
K) Don’t know	0.4

   

Q4SQb. For those who answered “should cut cooperation as much as possible” or “should stop completely” in Q4, why do you think so? Please choose as many as apply from the following. (N=362)

(M.T.=261.9)

A) Japan’s domestic economic condition is not good	76.0
B) It is not clear, in concrete terms, what type of economic cooperation is taking place	37.6
C) There are many cases in which Japan’s current economic cooperation is ineffective due to lack of consideration for on the ground conditions and needs	32.0
D) Do not feel that Japan’s economic cooperation is appreciated by developing countries	29.8
E) Economic cooperation is not fully utilized as Japan’s diplomatic tool	17.4
F) Current economic assistance is insufficient in such areas as coordination with related agencies, management and operation of donated equipment, etc.	13.8
G) Japan’s fiscal situation is not good	53.3
H) Others	1.1
I) No specific reason	0.6
J) Don’t know	0.3

  

 

3. Japan’s Role in the United Nations

Q5. Currently more than 100 countries send personnel for UN peacekeeping operations (PKO). Based on international laws of peace and cooperation, Japan has participated in: UN PKOs in Cambodia, the Golan Heights, East Timor, Sudan and elsewhere; international humanitarian relief activities such as refugee-support in Iraq; and international election monitoring activities in East Timor and Nepal. In the future, do you think that Japan should participate in these humanitarian contributions to international society, or not? Please choose one of the following.

A) Should participate more actively than before	29.4
B) Should participate at the current level	51.0
C) Should participate but at a minimal level	12.1
D) Should not participate	1.7
E) Others	0.5
F) Don’t know	5.3

   

Q6. At the United Nations, discussion is moving forward on expanding the Security Council in order to strengthen its functions and enhance the representation of each region at the council. What do you think about Japan becoming a permanent member of the Security Council? Please choose one of the following.  

A) Support	41.8
B) Tend to support	37.4
C) Tend to oppose	5.3
D) Oppose	1.5
E) Don’t know	14.0

   

Q6SQa. For those who answered “support” or “tend to support” in Q6, why do you think so? Please choose one of the following. (N=1,466)  

A) Japan should actively contribute to world peace in accordance with its global status	25.7
B) It is peculiar that Japan cannot be a part of important decision-making processes while it makes enormous financial contributions to the United Nations	27.1
C) Helps world peace, as Japan is a non-nuclear state with pacifist ideals	28.9
D) Japan can reflect its ideas on important UN decisions involving international security	11.1
E) As another representative from Asia on the Security Council, Japan can improve the regional imbalance in the United Nations	8.0
F) Others	---
G) Don’t know	1.2

  

Q6SQb. For those who answered “tend to oppose” or “oppose” in Q6, why do you think so? Please choose one of the following. (N=125)  

A) Once Japan becomes a permanent member of the Security Council it will have to make even greater financial contributions to the UN than now	24.8
B) Once Japan becomes a permanent member of the Security Council, it will have to actively participate in the UN’s military activities	23.2
C) Can make enough international contributions in such non-military areas as economic, social and environmental issues without becoming a permanent member of the Security Council	24.7
D) Should revise the Constitution before Japan becomes a permanent member of the Security Council	12.3
E) The Security Council does not have the power to resolve global disputes	10.4
F) Others	4.0
G) Don’t know	6.4

 

 

4. External Economy

Q7. On which areas do you think Japan should focus when it promotes its economic relations with foreign countries? Please choose as many as apply.

(M.T.=264.7)

A) Promotion of liberalization of trade and investment, through the use of such mechanisms as free trade agreements (FTAs), economic partnership agreements (EPAs), investment agreements (BIT), and World Trade Organization (WTO) initiatives with specific countries and regions.	35.4
B) Securing energy resources, including mineral resources	60.7
C) Securing food	46.6
D) Promotion of direct investment in Japan	11.8
E) Support for Japanese corporations’ overseas activities	33.1
F) Protection of intellectual property rights, including patents	21.5
G) Promotion of tourism to Japan	24.5
H) Promotion of understanding about the Japanese economy among foreign countries (more active public relations)	23.0
I) Others	0.1
J) Nothing in particular	2.4
K) Don’t know	5.5

 

 

5. Protection of Japanese Nationals

Q8. What do you think about protection of, and support for, Japanese nationals who encounter traffic accidents, crimes, illness, terror and other accidents and incidents while overseas? Please choose one of the following.  

A) Individuals or home companies/organizations should be responsible for dealing with them on their own	8.4
B) Individuals or home companies/organizations should deal with them on their own as much as possible, but if they cannot, the government, embassies and consulates should provide protection and support	39.8
C) Even if individuals or home companies/organizations can deal with them on their own, the government, embassies and consulates should actively provide protection and support	25.0
D) Under any circumstances, the government, embassies and consulates should provide protection and support	23.6
E) Other	0.5
F) Don’t know	2.8

 

 

6. Roles that Japan Should Play

 Q9. What do you think are the main roles that Japan should play in the international community? Please choose as many as apply.

(M.T.=340.9)  

A) Humanitarian aid, including efforts toward advancing international peace through the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts	57.7
B) Contributions to maintaining world peace through disarmament and non-proliferation	42.1
C) International efforts to spread universal values, such as freedom, democracy, fundamental human rights and the rule of law	30.1
D) Humanitarian support for refugees and displaced people	41.5
E) Contributions toward healthy growth of the global economy	38.1
F) Cooperation to develop developing countries	37.7
G) Contributions to solving global issues such as the environment and global climate change	62.8
H) Contributions to international cultural exchanges, such as cooperation in preserving each country’s cultural heritage	25.4
I) Others	0.1
J) Nothing in particular	1.6
K) Don’t know	4.0

  

<Fact Sheet>

 

F1. Gender  

Male	47.3
Female	52.7

 

F2. Age. How old are you?  

20-24	3.9
25-29	3.8
30-34	6.5
35-39	8.5
40-44	7.8
45-49	9.2
50-54	8.3
55-59	10.9
60-64	11.4
65-69	10.5
70-	19.2

 

F3. Employment situation. We will now ask about your job. Which applies to you?  

Employer (including executives)	46.6
Self-employed (including those who work from home)	9.5
Family business worker	2.6
Unemployed (including housewives and students)	41.2

 

F3SQa. Occupation. What is the content of your work? (N=1,088)  

Management	6.8
Specialist/Technician	11.5
Clerical worker	21.4
Sales, service, security	27.4
Agriculture, forestry, fishery	5.1
Manufacturing, transportation, construction, labor	27.8

 

F3SQb. Housewife and other unemployed. Are you a housewife? (N=762)  

Housewife	58.9
Other unemployed	41.1

* Compared to the previous year’s Cabinet Office poll, the percentage of respondents who “feel close” to another country (including “tend to feel close) and those who “do not feel close” (including “tend not to feel close).  

Country	“Feel close”2008	“Feel close”2009	“Do not feel close”2008	“Do not feel close”2009
United States	73.3	78.9	24.8	19.1
Russia	13	15.4	83.4	79.6
China	31.8	38.5	66.6	58.5
South Korea	57.1	63.1	40.9	34.2

 

** Compared to the previous year’s Cabinet Office poll, the percentage of respondents who “think it [Japan’s relations with another country] is good” (including “think it is fairly good”) and those who “do not think it is good” (including “do not think it is all that good”).   

Country	“Think it is good”2008	“Think it is good”2009	“Not good”2008	“Not good”2009
United States	68.9	81.8	28.1	14.4
Russia	20.5	21.7	72.5	68.2
China	23.7	38.5	71.9	55.2
South Korea	49.5	66.5	45.9	27.3