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OPINION POLL (P06-13)

October 2006 Nikkei Regular Telephone Opinion Poll

Dates Conducted

October 27-29, 2006

Released

N/A

Methodology

Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.

Key Issues

• Support for the new Abe administration
• Education reform
• Abe Cabinet’s response to North Korea
• LDP Postal Rebels

Background

This poll was taken approximately one month after the inauguration of Abe Shinzo as prime minister of Japan on September 26, 2006. Prime Minister Abe surprised many observers by visiting South Korea and China in early October as his first official trips abroad. While meeting with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on October 9, North Korea conducted its first underground nuclear test, sending shockwaves around the world. In response to the nuclear test, the Abe Cabinet announced tough new sanctions against the regime.

Link to Original Source

http://www.nikkei-r.co.jp/nikkeipoll/qandres/y200610a.html

Disclaimer

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

Survey:

Q1. Do you support or not support the Abe Cabinet? (N=954)

Support	68%
Not support	21%
Can't say/don't know	10%

Q1SQ1. For those who answered “support” in Q1, what is the reason for your support? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven answers. (N=653)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	22%
Good policies	12%
Good sense of international affairs	18%
Leadership	12%
Stability	19%
Can trust members' personalities	50%
Clean	22%
Others	3%
Can't say/don't know	3%

Q1SQ2. For those who answered “don’t support” in Q1, what is the reason for your lack of support? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven answers. (N=203)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	35%
Bad policies	33%
Bad sense of international affairs	10%
Lack of leadership	28%
Instability	20%
Cannot trust members' personalities	17%
Not clean	2%
Others	8%
Can't say/don't know	6%

Q2. What political party do you currently support? Please choose only one. (N=954)

Liberal Democratic Party	42%
Democratic Party ofJapan	16%
Komeito	3%
JapanCommunist Party	2%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	1%
The People's New Party	0%
The New PartyJapan	0%
Others	0%
Do not support any party	31%
Can't say/don't know	5%

Q2SQ. For those who answered “don’t support any party” or “can’t say/don’t know” in Q2, if you have to choose one party, which party do you feel is most preferable? Please choose only one. (N=342)

Liberal Democratic Party	24%
Democratic Party ofJapan	14%
Komeito	2%
JapanCommunist Party	4%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	3%
The People's New Party	0%
The New PartyJapan	0%
Others	1%
Do not support any party	39%
Can't say/don't know	13%

[Support + preferable parties (N=954)]

Liberal Democratic Party	51%
Democratic Party ofJapan	20%
Komeito	4%
JapanCommunist Party	4%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	2%
The People's New Party	0%
The New PartyJapan	0%
Others	1%
Do not support any party	14%
Can't say/don't know	5%

Q3. Do you support or not support the Abe Cabinet’s first month of performance? (N=954)

Support	53%
Not support	28%
Neither support or not support	10%
Can't say/don't know	10%

Q3SQ1. For those who answered “support” in Q3, what is the primary reason for your answer? Please choose only one of the following. (N=505)

Staffing of the Cabinet and LDP leadership	6%
Fiscal reconstruction and economic policy	5%
Education reform	17%
Remarks regarding history issues	3%
(Abe's) visit toChinaandSouth Korea	38%
Response toNorth Korea's nuclear test	28%
Others	1%
Can't say/don't know	2%

Q3SQ2. For those who answered “not support” in Q4, what is the primary reason for your answer? Please choose only one of the following. (N=266)

Staffing of the Cabinet and LDP leadership	16%
Fiscal reconstruction and economic policy	32%
Education reform	15%
Remarks regarding history issues	8%
(Abe's) visit toChinaandSouth Korea	2%
Response toNorth Korea's nuclear test	18%
Others	3%
Can't say/don't know	7%

Q4. The Japanese government has strengthened sanctions on North Korea in response to its missile launch and nuclear test. What do you think about it? (N=954)

Sanctions are too severe	5%
Sanctions are appropriate	50%
Sanctions should be further strengthened	36%
Can't say/don't know	9%

Q5.The Abe administration has launched a “Panel for Education Reform.” What do you expect to see regarding the following agendas of education reform? Please choose as many as apply from the following. (N=954)

Accelerating competition by the school evaluation system	11%
Improvement in quality of teachers by license renewal system	50%
Introduction of education voucher system	8%
Bolstering countermeasures to bullying problem	40%
Uplifting a sense of public morality and discipline	24%
Flexible education system, like fall admissions	9%
Strengthening international competitiveness of higher education	17%
Support for families raising children	34%
Others	1%
Can't say/don't know	12%

Q6. The government and LDP have been reconsidering the reform of the scandal-tainted Social Insurance Agency. What do you think the overhaul of the Agency should be like? (N=954)

Dismantlement of the Agency	37%
Keep the Agency but reform the management system/governing structure	28%
Keep the Agency but reform operation system	25%
Can't say/don't know	10%

Q7. The LDP leadership is discussing whether to return “rebels” who opposed the postal privatization and left the LDP in the Lower House election last year. What do you think about it? (N=954)

Support	33%
Oppose	51%
Can't say/don't know	16%

Q8. Do you think that control of the government should change from the ruling to the opposition parties? (N=954)

Yes	57%
No	32%
Can't say/don't know	12%

Q9. How interested are you in politics? (N=954)

Very interested	18%
Somewhat interested	58%
Not so interested	15%
Not at all interested	2%
Can't say/don't know	8%

F1. Gender (judged by interviewers, N=954)

Male	47%
Female	53%
Unknown	0%

F2. Age (N=954, Average: 52.4)

20s	7%
30s	19%
40s	18%
50s	20%
60s	17%
Over 70	18%
Refuse to answer	2%

F3. What is your occupation? Please choose one from the following. (N=954)

Agriculture, forestry, fishery	4%
Employed (corporate employee, bureaucrat, teacher, etc.)	44%
Self-employed (business, engineer), freelance (including family business)	13%
Housewife (without any outside job)	19%
Student	1%
Unemployed	18%
Refuse to answer	2%