Asahi Shimbun April 2007 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

April 14 and 15, 2007

Released

April 17, 2007

Methodology

The poll was conducted by telephone on April 14 and 15, 2007, of voters from across Japan using a three-stage random sampling method (the Asahi RDD). The total number of those polled was 1807, with a 54% 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 31 and April 1, 2007.

Key Issues

Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet
Constitution reform

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	40% (37)
Do not support	38% (43)

QS1. Why? (Choose one of the following.) (The results in the left column are those 40% who answered “support,” and the numbers in the right column are the 38% who answered “do not support.”)

Abe is the Prime Minister	20% [8]	4% [2]
The cabinet is primarily composed of LDP members	24% [10]	27% [10]
Policies of the cabinet	27% [11]	55% [21]
Just because	27% [11]	11% [4]

Q2. Which political party do you currently support?

Liberal Democratic Party	31% (30)
Democratic Party ofJapan	14% (14)
Komeito	4% (2)
JapanCommunist Party	3% (2)
Social Democratic Party	2% (1)
The People's New Party	0% (0)
The New Party ofJapan	0% (0)
Others	0% (1)
Do not support any party	41% (43)
No answer/do not know	5% (7)

Q3. The following question concerns the national referendum bill [to change the Constitution]. The national referendum bill, which establishes procedures for a national vote on constitutional reform, was passed by the House of Representatives on April 13 and sent to the House of Councilors. Are you in favor of the current Diet passing the national referendum bill, or are you opposed?

In favor	40%
Opposed	37%

Q4. According to the national referendum bill passed by the House of Representatives, a majority of valid votes in favor would ensure revision of the Constitution, regardless of the level of voter turnout. Do you think that revision of the Constitution should require voter turnout in excess of a certain level, or not?

Should	79%
Should not	11%