Asahi Shimbun April 2007 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

March 31 and April 1, 2007

Released

April 3, 2007

Methodology

The poll was conducted by telephone on March 31 and April 1, 2007, of voters from across Japan using a three-stage random sampling method (the Asahi RDD). The total number of those polled was 1831, 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 March 10 and 11, 2007.

Key Issues

Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet
Nationwide local elections
Performance of the government

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:	37% (38)
Do not support:	43% (41)

QS1. Why? (Choose one of the following.) (The results in the left column are those 37% who answered “support,” and the numbers in the right column are the 43% who answered “do not support.”)

Abe is the Prime Minister	21% (8)	5% (2)
The cabinet is primarily composed of LDP members	25% (9)	25% (11)
Policies of the cabinet	28% (10)	58% (25)
Just because	24% (9)	11% (5)

Q2. Which political party do you currently support?

Liberal Democratic Party	30% (32)
Democratic Party ofJapan	14% (12)
Komeito	2% (3)
JapanCommunist Party	2% (2)
Social Democratic Party	1% (1)
The People's New Party	0% (0)
The New Party ofJapan	0% (0)
Other	1% (0)
Do not support any party	43% (45)
No answer/do not know	7% (5)

Q3. The nationwide local elections are currently underway. Are you very interested, somewhat interested or not interested in the nationwide local elections?

Very interested	32%
Somewhat interested	48%
Not interested	20%

4. To what degree are you satisfied with the government and politics of the city, ward, town or village in which you live? (Choose one.)

Very satisfied	1%
Somewhat satisfied	44%
Not very satisfied	44%
Not at all satisfied	9%

Q5. To what degree are you concerned that the government of the city, ward, town or village in which you live might go bankrupt in the future? (Choose one.)

Very concerned	14%
Somewhat concerned	39%
Not very concerned	37%
Not at all concerned	8%

Q6. The following question concerns regional income disparities. Do you think that regional income disparities are widening in Japan, or not?

Widening	81%
Not widening	12%