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NIKKEI SHIMBUN MAY 2007 TELEPHONE INTERVIEW POLLS (P07-21)

Nikkei Shimbun May 2007 Telephone Interview Polls

Dates Conducted
May 25-27, 2007

Released
May 28, 2007

Copyright
Nikkei Shimbun

Methodology
Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.

Key Issues

· Support for the Abe Cabinet

· Hometown tax payment

· Collective self-defense action with other countries

· House of Councilors election in summer 2007

Link to Original Source

http://www.nikkei-r.co.jp/nikkeipoll/qandres/y200705a.html

Disclaimer

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

Note: All numbers are percentages.

Q1. Do you support or not support the Abe cabinet? (N=917)

Support	41
Do not support	44
Can't say/ don't know	15

Q1SQ1. For those who answered “support” in Q1, what is the reason for your support? Please choose as many as apply from the following answers. (N=374)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	32
Good policies	12
Good sense of international affairs	15
Leadership	7
Stability	16
Can trust members' personalities	41
Politically clean	17
Other	3
Can't say/ don't know	4

Q1SQ2. For those who answered “do not support” in Q1, what is the reason for your lack of support? Please choose as many as apply from the following answers. (N=405)

Because it is an LDP cabinet	23
Bad policies	39
Bad sense of international affairs	15
Lack of leadership	48
Instability	31
Cannot trust members' personalities	17
Politically not clean	9
Other	5
Can't say/ don't know	2

Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please choose only one of the following. (N=917)

Liberal Democratic Party	34
Democratic Party ofJapan	14
Komeito	3
JapanCommunist Party	2
Social Democratic Party	1
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other	0
Do not support any party	41
Can't say/ don't know	5

Q2SQ. For those who answered “Do not support any party” or “Can not say/do not know” in Q2, if you had to select one, which party would you prefer the most? Please choose only one of the following. (N=423)

Liberal Democratic Party	15
Democratic Party ofJapan	20
Komeito	1
JapanCommunist Party	4
Social Democratic Party	3
The People's New Party	1
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other	0
Do not support any party	42
Can't say/ don't know	14

[Support + Preferable Parties (N=917)]

Liberal Democratic Party	41
Democratic Party ofJapan	23
Komeito	3
JapanCommunist Party	4
Social Democratic Party	3
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other	0
Do not support any party	20
Can't say/ don't know	6

Q3. Do you support or not support the performance of the Abe Cabinet? (N=917)

Support	33
Do not support	49
Neither support nor not support	7
Can't say/don't know	11

Q4. A “Hometown tax payment” initiative that allows citizens to pay a portion of their taxes, such as an inhabitant tax, to their hometown local governments has been proposed within the government and the ruling party. What is your opinion on this? (N=917)

Support	50
Oppose	26
Can't say/ don't know	25

Q5. When a country that has close relationship with Japan is attacked, Japan could consider it as a threat to Japan’s security and take joint action against such threats with the other country. The right to take such action is called the right of collective self defense. The government’s interpretation is that “the current constitution does not allow exercise of the right of collective self defense. What is your opinion on this? (N=917)

It is all right as it is.	39
Japanshould be allowed to exercise the right by changing the interpretation without an amendment of the constitution.	25
Japanshould be allowed to exercise the right by amending the constitution.	22
Other	1
Can't say/ don't know	13

Q6. On which policy issues do you place the most importance when you vote for the House of Councilors in the election this summer? (N=917)

Social security policy including pension and welfare policy	56
Increase of consumer tax rate	13
Issues of gap	26
Constitutional amendment	15
Education reform	29
Foreign policy and national security	18
Issues relating "politics and money"	30
Agricultural policy	14
Administrative reform	22
Other	1
Can't say/ don't know	11

Q7. Which party do you want to vote for or has a candidate you want to vote for in the House of Councilors election this summer? (N=917)

Liberal Democratic Party	33
Democratic Party ofJapan	22
Komeito	4
JapanCommunist Party	3
Social Democratic Party	1
The People's New Party	0
The New Party ofJapan	0
Other political party or candidate	3
Independent candidate	9
Have not made up mind	11
Not going to vote	1
Cast a blank ballot	0
Can't say/ don' t know	13

Q8. Do you think there should be a change in the administration from the ruling party to an opposition party, or not? (N=917)

There should be a change	57
There should not be a change	28
(No answer/do not know)	15

Q9. What kind of administration is desirable after the House of Councilors election? (N=917)

Liberal Democratic Party's single-party administration	10
Coalition administration centered on the LDP andKomeito	19
Non-LDP coalition administration centered on the Democratic Party of Japan	24
Coalition administration in which part of the LDP and DPJ participates	30
Other	2
Can't say/ don't know	16

Q10. To what extent are you interested in politics? (N=917)

Very interested	17
Interested to some extent	57
Not so interested	14
Not interested at all	2
Can't say/ don' t know	10

Interested: 74 in total Not interested: 16 in total

F1. Gender (Determined by the polltaker) (N=917)

Male	47
Female	53
Unknown	0

F2. How old are you? (N=917)

In my 20s	6
In my 30s	18
In my 40s	17
In my 50s	22
In my 60s	19
70 years old or older	16
Refused to answer	2

Average age: 53.0

F3. What is your occupation? Please choose one from the following list. (N=917)

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries	3
Employee (company or government employee, teacher, etc.)	43
Self-owned business, self-employed (including a homemaker)	13
Full-time housewife(without job only)	21
Student	1
Unemployed	16
Refused to answer	2