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ASAHI SHIMBUN JANUARY OPINION POLL (P07-1)

Asahi Shimbun January Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

January 20 and 21, 2007

Released

Data published on January 23, 2007 in the Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition
Copyright Asahi Shimbun 2007

Methodology

The poll was conducted by telephone on January 20 and 21, 2007, of voters from across Japan using a three-stage random sampling method (the Asahi RDD). The total number of those polled was 1915, with a 56 % response rate. The numbers in [ ] are the percentages of those polled as compared to the entire population of those who answered. The numbers in ( ) are the results from a poll conducted in December, 2006.

Key Issues

• Support for the Abe Cabinet
• The House of Councillors election
• Constitutional reform
• Leadership of the LDP and DPJ
• Economy

Background

The Abe Cabinet has come under fire recently from opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa over the prime minister’s decision to prioritize constitutional reform. Ozawa believes that the livelihood of the Japanese people should take precedent over constitutional reform, but Abe contends that he is able to confront both issues effectively at the same time. The debate over these issues that will take place in the ordinary session of Diet is predicted to be a pre-campaign of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan for the upcoming House of Councillors election this summer.

Disclaimer

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

Survey:

Q1. Do you support the Abe cabinet?

Support	39 % (47)
Do not support	37 (32)

Q2. Why? (Choose one of the following. The left are those 39% who answered “support”, and on the right are the 37% who answered “Do not support”.)

The prime minister is Abe	19 %[8]	4 [2]
The cabinet is primarily LDP	28 [11]	27 [10]
Cabinet's policies	22 [9]	58 [22]
Just because	27 [11]	8 [3]

Q3. Which political party do you support right now?

Liberal Democratic Party	32% (36)
Democratic Party ofJapan	16 (14)
Komeito	3 (4)
Japan Communist Party	2 (3)
Social Democratic Party	1 (2)
The People's New Party	0 (0)
The New Party ofJapan	0 (0)
Others	1 (0)
Do not support any party	40 (36)
No answer/ do not know	5 (5)

Q4. The House of Councillors election is this summer. To what degree do you have interest in this election?

Great interest	26%
Somewhat interested	47
Don't really have interest	22
Don't have any interest at all	5

Q5. Prime Minister Abe has indicated that he will make constitutional reform an issue of the House of Councillors election. Do you think making constitutional reform an issue of the election is appropriate or not?

Appropriate	32%
Don't think it is appropriate	48

Q6. Do you think that the Liberal Democratic Party can win, or cannot win in the House of Councillors election under the leadership of Prime Minister Abe?

Can win	44%
Cannot win	28

Q7. Do you think that the Democratic Party of Japan can win, or cannot win in the House of Councillors election under the leadership of Representative Ozawa?

Can win	13%
Cannot win	61

Q8. Do you think that Abe is a politician who is close to the feelings of the Japanese people, or a politician who is far from the feelings of the people?

A politician who is close to the feelings of the people	32%
A politician who is far from the feelings of the people	50

Q9. Do you think that the Abe Cabinet is strong, or do you think that it is unreliable? (The numbers in parentheses are data collected from a poll conducted on September 26th and 27th , 2006)

It is a strong cabinet	12% (23)
It is an unreliable cabinet	67 (34)

Q10. Under the leadership of Abe, do you think, or not think that the Liberal Democratic Party will revert to the “Old Liberal Democratic Party”?

It will revert	36%
Don't think that it will revert	45

Q11. The problems associated with the appropriations of political funds by ministers of the Abe Cabinet—Matsuoka, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries; and Ibuki, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology—have surfaced. Do you think that the truth has been made clear, or not been made clear on the matter?

Made clear	2%
Not been made clear	85

Q12. The Prime Minister recently met with the leaders of China and South Korea at the East Asian Summit and discussed the North Korea problem and the history problem. Do you support, or do you not support Prime Minster Abe’s postures toward China and North Korea?

Support	60%
Do not support	24

Q13. Next, the Democratic Party of Japan will be discussed. As the first opposition party of Japan, do you, or do you not think that the Democratic Party is fulfilling its duty.

Fulfilling	17%
Not fulfilling	69

Q14. Do you or do you not want the Democratic Party to have the ability to be in charge of political power?

Want it to be able to be in charge of political power	60%
Don't want it to be able to be in charge of political power	30

Q15. Next, the economy will be discussed. Currently, do you think the economy will get better, get worse, or not change at all?

Get better	20% (19)
Get worse	15 (19)
Not change	62 (57)

Q16. Do you or do you not feel that your household income has increased?

Feel it has	5%
Feel it has not	89

Q17. The Abe cabinet has initiated policies supporting the development of new enterprises in order to further progress the Japanese economy. The Democratic Party has strongly appealed to correct the disparity existing in society. Which do you feel is a priority to Japan: economic progress, or disparity correction?

Economic progress	30%
Disparity correction	45