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DECEMBER 2006 NIKKEI REGULAR TELEPHONE INTERVIEW POLL(P06-16)

December 2006 Nikkei Regular Telephone Interview Poll

Dates Conducted

December 22-24, 2006

Released

N/A

Methodology

Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.

Key Issues

• Support for the Abe administration
• Town meeting
• Honma Masaaki
• Consumption tax
• Party affiliation

Background

Three months after taking office, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is facing declining approval ratings stemming from several recent controversies. In an effort to promote grass-roots democracy, the prime minister’s office, starting with Prime Minister Koizumi, has held “town-meetings” around the country aimed at giving voice for those who do not normally have the chance to participate in the political process. In December it was revealed that the questions asked at these forums were often staged, and those who asked them were coached and paid in an effort to bolster support for the administration’s policies. Prime Minister Abe has vowed to pay three months of his salary as indemnity for the mistake. Another source of dropping approval ratings is the former president of the Special Committee on the Taxation System, Honma Masaaki, who resigned after being scrutinized for his acceptance of a luxury home in an upscale area of Tokyo.

Link to Original Source

http://www.nikkei-r.co.jp/nikkeipoll/qandres/y200612a.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=947)

Support	51%
Not Support	40%
Can't say/don't know	9%

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=480)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	27%
Good policies	10%
Good sense of international affairs	16%
Leadership	7%
Stability	15%
Can trust members' personalities	48%
Politically clean	23%
Other	5%
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=380)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	23%
Bad policies	39%
Bad sense of international affairs	13%
Lack of leadership	54%
Instability	33%
Cannot trust members' personalities	16%
Not politically clean	5%
Others	3%
Can't say/don't know	3%

Q2: What political party do you currently support? Please choose only one. (N=947)

Liberal Democratic Party	39%
Democratic Party ofJapan	12%
Komeito	3%
JapanCommunist Party	1%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	2%
The People's New Party	0%
The New Party ofJapan	0%
Other	0%
Do not support any party	39%
Can't say/don't know	4%

Q2SQ: For those who answered “don’t support any party or “can’t say/don’t know” in Q2, if you had to choose one party, which party do you feel is most preferable? Please choose only one. (N=406)

Liberal Democratic Party	18%
Democratic Party ofJapan	20%
Komeito	2%
JapanCommunist Party	3%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	3%
The People's New Party	0%
The New Party ofJapan	0%
Other	1%
Do not support any party	40%
Can't say/don't know	14%

[Support + preferable parties (N=947)]

Liberal Democratic Party	47%
Democratic Party ofJapan	20%
Komeito	4%
JapanCommunist Party	3%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	3%
The People's New Party	0%
The New Party ofJapan	0%
Other	1%
Do not support any party	17%
Can't say/don't know	6%

Q3: Do you support or not support the Abe Cabinet’s first three months of performance? (N=947)

Support	29%
Not support	57%
Neither support or not support	6%
Can't say/don't know	9%

Q3SQ1: For those who answered “support” in Q3, what is the primary reason for your answer? Please choose only one of the following. (N=275)

Efforts toward fiscal reconstruction	13%
Efforts toward education reform	30%
Restoration of party membership to opponents of postal privatization	3%
Reconsideration of highway appropriations	7%
Confronting the problems associated with "Town meetings'" staged questions	2%
Elevation of the Japan Defense Agency to the Ministry of Defense	3%
(Abe's) visit toChinaandSouth Korea	22%
Response to North Korean nuclear test	13%
Other	1%
Can't say/don't know	5%

Q3SQ2: For those who answered “not support” in Q3, what is the primary reason for your answer? Please choose only one of the following. (N=536)

Efforts toward fiscal reconstruction	15%
Efforts toward education reform	18%
Restoration of party membership to opponents of postal privatization	28%
Reconsideration of highway appropriations	9%
Confronting the problems associated with "Town meetings' staged questions"	11%
Elevation of the Japan Defense Agency to the Ministry of Defense	3%
(Abe's) visit toChinaandSouth Korea	2%
Response to North Korean nuclear test	8%
Other	2%
Can't say/don't know	4%

Q4: In regards to next year’s budget organization and tax revision, how do you rate Abe’s Cabinet compared to Koizumi’s cabinet? Please choose only one of the following. (N=947)

Positively	7%
Negatively	30%
Hasn't changed	52%
Can't say/don't know	11%

Q5: The leadership of the LDP recognized the readmission of opposition leaders to postal privatization after last year’s Lower House election. How do you feel about that? Please choose only one of the following.

Agree	23%
Disagree	62%
Can't say/Don't know	15%

Q6: Prime Minister Abe has taken responsibility for the town meetings’ staged questions and has indicated that he will give back the approximately 1 million yen value of three months of his salary as prime minister. Do you believe that the prime minister’s actions are appropriate or inappropriate? Please choose only one of the following. (N=947)

Appropriate	46%
Inappropriate	41%
Can't say/don't know	13%

Q7: The government and the LDP have decided to discuss the issue of raising the consumption tax rate following fall of next year. How do you feel about the issue of raising the consumption tax rate? Please choose only one of the following. (N=947)

Because of the fiscal reforms it is unavoidable	13%
If it puts restrictions on funding for annuities it is unavoidable	35%
Tax rates should maintain at current levels	30%
The consumption tax should be repealed	11%
Other	1%
Can't say/don't know	10%

Q8: How do you think the economy will be next year? Please choose only one of the following. (N=947)

It looks like it will improve	9%
It won't change	64%
It looks like it will get worse	17%
Can't say/don't know	10%

Q9: What party, or candidate’s party, do you want to vote for in next summer’s Upper House election? Please choose one of the following. (N=947)

Liberal Democratic Party	35%
Democratic Party	21%
Komeito	4%
JapanCommunist Party	2%
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	2%
The People's New Party	1%
The New Party ofJapan	0%
Other	2%
Independent	7%
Not yet decided	10%
Will not vote	1%
Will cast a blank ballot	0%
Can't say/don't know	16%

Q10: The president of the Select Committee on the Taxation System, Honda Masaaki, resigned after inappropriately moving into an official residence. What do you think about this? Please choose only one of the following. (N=947)

It is only natural	64%
There was no need to resign	6%
Can't say either way	19%
Can't say/don't know	11%

F1: Gender (judged by interviewers, N=947)

Male	44%
Female	56%
Unknown	0%

F2: Age (N=947)

20s	8%
30s	19%
40s	20%
50s	18%
60s	19%
70s	14%
Refused to answer	2%

F3: What is your occupation? Please choose one from the following. (N=947)

Agriculture, forestry, fishing	2%
Employed (corporate employee, bureaucrat, teacher, etc.)	47%
Self-employed (business, engineer), freelance (including family business)	12%
Housewife (without any outside job)	20%
Student	1%
Unemployed	15%
Refused to answer	2%