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YOMIURI SHIMBUN JUNE 2007 OPINION POLLS (P07-33)

Yomiuri Shimbun June 2007 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

June 16 and 17, 2007

Released

Publishing date not available

Copyright

Yomiuri Shimbun

Methodology

Yomiuri conducted the poll in individual interviews on June 16 and 17, 2007, using a stratified two-stage random sample of 3,000 voters in 250 different locations. 1,837 people, or 61.2% of those selected, responded.

Key Issues

Performance of the Abe administration
Pension records scandal
National politics/House of Councilors election
Doctor shortage
Medical/healthcare infrastructure

Disclaimer

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

Q1. Do you support or not support the Abe cabinet?

Support	38.3% (49.6)
Do not support	50.6% (36.8)
Other	2.8% (3.5)
Do not know; No answer	8.3% (10.1)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in May 2007

SQ1. [Those who answered “support” to Q1 only]

Please select up to two reasons from the following list for why you support the Abe cabinet:

Positively evaluate its political stance	30.8% (33.4)
Feel that it is stable	11.8% (14.9)
Can trust the Prime Minister	23.2% (23.2)
Have a fresh image of the Prime Minister	34.8% (40.2)
Can support its economic policies	4.8% (6.2)
Can support its foreign policy	15.2% (15.2)
It is a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party	14.8% (10.7)
It is better than previous cabinets	11.9% (10.1)
Other; Do not know; No answer	7.2% (4.8)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in May 2007

SQ2. [Those who answered “do not support” to Q1 only]

Please select up to two reasons from the following list for why you do not support the Abe cabinet:

Cannot positively evaluate its political stance	45.9% (43.1)
Do not feel that the cabinet is stable	34.4% (24.9)
Cannot trust the Prime Minister	25.3% (25.2)
The Prime Minister's political experience is lacking	14.4% (16.7)
Cannot support the administration's economic policies	22.9% (21.9)
Cannot support the administration's foreign policy	6.8% (13.9)
It is a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party	11.3% (14.2)
It is worse than previous cabinets	10.0% (7.5)
Other; Do not know; No answer	3.9% (3.8)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in May 2007

Q2. Which political party do you support right now? Please select one:

Liberal Democratic Party	32.9% (38.5)
Democratic Party of Japan	14.3% (11.1)
Komeito Party	4.0% (3.3)
Japan Communist Party	2.4% (1.8)
Social Democratic Party of Japan	1.2% (0.9)
The New People's Party	0.2% (0.3)
The New Party Nippon	-----(0.1)
Other	-----(------)
Do not support any party	44.4% (42.4)
Do not know; No answer	0.7% (1.6)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in May 2007

Q3 Overall, do you positively evaluate the performance of the Abe cabinet to date, or not?

Evaluate very positively	6.3%
Evaluate somewhat positively	36.3%
Do not really evaluate positively	37.2%
Do not evaluate positively at all	16.7%
Do not know; No answer	3.4%

Q4. From the following list, please select the accomplishments of and measures taken by Prime Minister Abe and the Abe cabinet that you can evaluate positively, if any. Please select as many as you like.

Relationship with the United States	9.5%
Relationship with China	14.7%
Relationship with South Korea	5.8%
Measures to address issues with North Korea	31.1%
Educational-reform measures, including amendment of the FundamentalLaw of Education	15.3%
Measures to address the income gap and other disparities	4.4%
Measures to address the pensions problem	12.7%
Measures to address Constitutional reform, includingpassage of the National Referendum Act	6.8%
Civil-service system reform, including establishment of the unified job-placement agency for bureaucrats	3.0%
Measures to deal with the "politics and money" issue involving former Minister of Agriculture Matsuoka	1.8%
Response to inappropriate remarks by Health Minister Yanazawa and other members of the cabinet	1.7%
Other	0.3%
Nothing in particular	38.3%
Do not know; No answer	1.7%

Q5 Conversely, from the same list, please select the accomplishments of and measures taken by Prime Minister Abe and the Abe cabinet that you cannot positively evaluate, if any. Please select as many as you like.

Relationship with the United States	8.4%
Relationship with China	7.2%
Relationship with South Korea	4.7%
Measures to address issues with North Korea	14.4%
Educational-reform measures, including amendment of the Fundamental Law of Education	13.5%
Measures to address the income gap and other disparities	25.0%
Measures to address the pensions problem	50.2%
Measures to address Constitutional reform, including passage of the National Referendum Act	10.1%
Civil-service system reform, including establishment of the unified job-placement agency for bureaucrats	9.0%
Measures to deal with the "politics and money" issue involving former Minister of Agriculture Matsuoka	49.0%
Response to inappropriate remarks by Health Minister Yanazawa and other members of the cabinet	32.1%
Other	0.5%
Nothing in particular	13.8%
Do not know; No answer	2.1%

Q6. Overall, do you have confidence in the national pension system, or not?

Have confidence	7.6% (6.4)
Have a certain degree of confidence	15.7% (21.0)
Do not have much confidence	26.8% (30.0)
Have no confidence	48.7% (41.3)
Do not know; No answer	1.3% (1.2)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in July 2004

Q7. Regarding the scandal over the misplaced pension records, the government has drafted new legislation that includes measures to compensate pensioners for the amount by which they were underpaid to date, and Prime Minister Abe has pledged to launch an investigation into the lost records of 50 million contributors to the system. Do you positively evaluate these steps taken by the government, or not?

Evaluate very positively	12.5%
Evaluate somewhat positively	33.9%
Do not really evaluate positively	27.7%
Do not evaluate positively at all	24.2%
Do not know; No answer	1.6%

Q8. Do you think that these measures taken by the government will provide the groundwork for a solution of the misplaced pension records, or not?

Yes	26.6%
No	66.8%
Do not know; No answer	6.5%

Q9. Viewing developments within the Diet and other venues concerning the pension-records scandal, which political party, if any, made a poor impression on you? Please select as many as you like from the following list.

Liberal Democratic Party	37.6%
Democratic Party of Japan	17.5%
Komeito Party	9.5%
Japan Communist Party	5.9%
Social Democratic Party of Japan	5.9%
The New People's Party	2.7%
The New Party Nippon	2.2%
Other	0.2%
None in particular	46.8%
Do not know; No answer	3.9%

Q10. Are you satisfied or not satisfied with current national politics?

Very satisfied	1.5% (1.0)
Somewhat satisfied	19.8% (19.7)
Somewhat dissatisfied	46.7% (46.9)
Very dissatisfied	30.0% (30.8)
Do not know; No answer	2.1% (1.6)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in January 2007

Q11. Are you interested or not interested in the upcoming House of Councilors election?

Very interested	32.3% (25.3)
Somewhat interested	35.3% (30.8)
Not really interested	22.9% (31.6)
Not at all interested	8.9% (11.8)
Do not know; No answer	0.6% (0.5)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in June 2004

Q12. From the following list, please select all issues, if any, that you would like to see political parties and candidates address during the upcoming House of Councilors election.

Economic conditions/job security	40.6%
Fiscal reconstruction	16.2%
Tax reform and the consumption tax	27.8%
Social security, including pensions	65.4%
Support for child care and countermeasures for declining birthrates	28.1%
Education reform	22.3%
Administrative reform, including the civil-service system	19.6%
Politics and money	30.9%
Income gap and other disparities	29.3%
Yasukuni Shrine issue	6.0%
Issues with North Korea	21.3%
Foreign policy and national security	10.2%
Amendment of the Constitution	12.4%
Crisis management, including disaster prevention	7.9%
Public safety and crime prevention	17.1%
Environmental measures	20.4%
Food-safety measures	15.6%
Other; Nothing in particular; Do not know; No answer	5.0%

Q13. Do you think that issues you consider important will be a focus of this House of Councilors election, or not?

Yes	36.0%
Probably	29.6%
Probably not	14.3%
No	13.1%
Do not know; No answer	7.0%

Q14. In the House of Councilors election, which party’s candidate do you intend to vote for in your electoral district? Please select one from the following list.

Liberal Democratic Party	27.5%
Democratic Party of Japan	17.7%
Komeito Party	3.3%
Japan Communist Party	2.3%
Social Democratic Party of Japan	1.1%
The New People's Party	0.3%
The New Party Nippon	0.2%
Other party	------
Independent	0.9%
Have not decided	45.7%
Do not know; No answer	0.9%

Q15. In the House of Councilors election this summer, which party’s candidate, or which party, do you intend to vote for in your proportional-representation block? Please select one from the following list.

Liberal Democratic Party	25.9% (33.9)
Democratic Party of Japan	17.6% (14.1)
Komeito Party	4.1% (3.3)
Japan Communist Party	2.6% (1.7)
Social Democratic Party of Japan	1.3% (0.9)
The New People's Party	0.5% (0.4)
The New Party Nippon	0.2% (0.1)
Others	-----(-----)
Have not decided	46.8% (44.3)
Do not know; No answer	1.1% (1.2)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in May 2007

Q16. This House of Councilors election will be the first national election for the Abe cabinet since it was inaugurated in September of last year. When you decide whom to vote for, will the performance of the Abe cabinet be a factor in your decision, or not?

Yes	55.5%
No	21.7%
Cannot say one way or the other	21.3%
Don't know; No answer	1.5%

Q17. If, as a result of this House of Councilors election, the combined number of seats held by the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito, including those not up for re-election, failed to reach a majority in the House of Councilors, would you think that Prime Minister Abe should or should not take responsibility by resigning?

Should resign	41.4%
Not necessary to resign	35.3%
Cannot say either way	21.3%
Don't know; No answer	2.0%

Q18. Next, if the number of seats held by the ruling coalition did not fall below a majority in the House of Councilors, would you think that DJP President Ozawa should or should not take responsibility by resigning his post?

Should resign	31.3%
Not necessary to resign	41.7%
Cannot say either way	25.0%
Don't know; No answer	2.0%

Q19. The Diet is a bicameral legislative body, divided into the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors. Overall, do you think that the House of Councilors is able to maintain its individuality distinct from the House of Representatives, or not?

Yes	5.8%
Somewhat	12.0%
Not really	27.8%
No	44.2%
Don't know; No answer	10.2%

Q20. In the House of Representatives election that took place under the Koizumi cabinet in September 2005, known as the “Japan Post privatization election,” which party did you vote for in your proportional-representation bloc? Please choose one from the following list.

Liberal Democratic Party	44.5%
Democratic Party of Japan	20.3%
Komeito Party	4.6%
Japan Communist Party	2.9%
Social Democratic Party of Japan	1.6%
The New People's Party	0.5%
The New Party Nippon	0.1%
New Party Daichi	0.1%
Abstained	10.6%
Forgot; Did not have the right to vote; Do not know; No answer	15.0%

SQ1. [Those who did not answer “abstained” or “forgot; do not have the right to vote; do not know; no answer” to Q20 only]

When you decided on the party you voted for, was the political stance and personality of that party’s leader important to you, or not?

Was important	47.7%
Was somewhat important	25.0%
Was not really important	11.0%
Was not important	15.6%
Do not know; no answer	0.7%

Q21. When you decide how to vote in your proportional-representation bloc during this House of Councilors election, will the political stance and personality of the party’s leader be important to you, or not?

Will be important	42.5%
Will be somewhat important	27.2%
Will not really be important	11.5%
Will not be important	15.2%
Do not know; no answer	3.6%

Q22. Will you vote or not vote in this House of Councilors election? Please select one of the following.

Will definitely vote (including early voting)	58.8%
Intend to vote	32.9%
Will probably not vote	5.4%
Will not vote (abstain)	1.9%
Do not know; No answer	1.0%

SQ1. [Those who answered “will definitely vote” or “intend to vote” to Q22 only]

Do you intend to vote on the day of the election, or to vote early?

Day of the election	89.1%
Vote early	9.0%
Do not know; No answer	1.9%

The following questions are related to regional health administration.

Q23. Are you satisfied or not with the medical care in the region in which you live?

Very satisfied	18.7%
Somewhat satisfied	46.7%
Somewhat dissatisfied	22.8%
Very dissatisfied	8.7%
Do not know; no answer	3.2%

Q24. Have you ever felt that there is a shortage of doctors in the region in which you live, or not?

Yes	31.0%
No	67.1%
Do not know; No answer	2.0%

SQ1. [Those who answered “yes” to Q24 only]

In particular, in which medical specialty have you felt that there is doctor shortage? Please select as many as you like from the following list.

Internal medicine	26.2%
Psychiatry	10.9%
Pediatrics	37.1%
Surgery	18.8%
Orthopedics	12.8%
Obstetrics and gynecology	42.7%
Ophthalmology and otolaryngology	33.0%
Dentistry	4.7%
Other; do not know; no answer	5.3%

Q25. In certain regions and medical specialties, a doctor shortage is becoming a problem. What do you think is the cause? Please select as many applicable causes, if any, as you like from the following list.

The work is too taxing	38.9%
Salary levels are not commensurate with the amount of work	22.8%
Central and local governments have not taken sufficient action to secure enough doctors	37.7%
Hospitals are trying to cut their personnel costs	20.1%
Many doctors prefer to live in convenient urban areas	40.2%
Many doctors fear being sued	24.8%
Other	1.6%
Nothing in particular	6.7%
Do not know; no answer	3.4%

Q26. The doctor shortage is a serious problem in obstetrics and pediatrics, which are said to be particularly demanding specialties. Do you think that reimbursement rates should be raised for obstetrics and pediatrics, in order to provide more favorable conditions than other specialties, or not?

Yes	37.0%
Probably	26.7%
Probably not	13.0%
No	18.2%
Do not know; no answer	5.2

Q27. It has been pointed out that doctors across the country tend to be concentrated in urban areas such as prefectural capital cities, with fewer and fewer working in rural towns and villages. Do you think that this disparity between the number of doctors in urban areas and rural areas is widening, or not?

Widening	60.6%
Probably widening	26.5%
Probably not widening	5.6%
Not widening	4.1%
Do not know; No answer	3.2%

Q28. In order to solve the doctor shortage, the government is considering establishing quotas in medical schools across the country for the number of graduates obligated to work in remote areas for a certain period of time after graduation. Do you think that the introduction of such a system would be a good idea, or not?

Good idea	50.8%
Probably a good idea	24.6%
Probably not a good idea	10.0%
Not a good idea	9.5%
Do not know; no answer	5.1%

Q29. The following questions are related to the medical infrastructure in your area.

S1. Do you think that the emergency-medical infrastructure in your area is solid, or not?

Yes	33.0%
Probably	34.1%
Probably not	14.3%
No	12.2%
Do not know; no answer	6.4%

S2. Do you think that the after-hours and weekend/vacation-day consultation hours are sufficient, or not?

Yes	26.7%
Probably	29.9%
Probably not	19.0%
No	16.1%
Do not know; no answer	8.4%

Q30. Do you have a regular doctor you can see for something like a slight cold or stomachache, or not?

Yes	73.5% (64.2)
No	25.9% (35.1)
Do not know; No answer	0.7% (0.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in March 1992

Q31. When you feel that something’s wrong with you physically, do you prefer to be seen first in a clinic or by a private practitioner nearby, or do you prefer to be seen first in a large hospital?

Nearby clinic or private practitioner	80.6%
Large hospital	17.7%
Do not know; No answer	1.6%

Q32. The government is considering adding a new “general medicine” category to the list of medical specialties such as internal medicine and surgery. A patient would be seen by a “general medicine” doctor and then referred to a specialist if necessary. Do you think the establishment of such a “general medicine” category is a good idea, or not?

Good idea	43.8%
Probably a good idea	23.8%
Probably not a good idea	12.4%
Not a good idea	14.2%
Do not know; No answer	5.8%

Fundamental Characteristics of the Survey Sample:

Regional Distribution

Hokkaido, Tohoku	12.2%
Kanto	29.8%
Chubu	19.2%
Kinki	18.5%
Chugoku, Shikoku	9.0%
Kyushu	11.3%

City Scale

Large metropolitan areas (Tokyo's 23 wards and ordinance-designated cities)	21.3%
Large mid-sized cities (cities with population over 300,000)	19.2%
Mid-sized cities (cities with population over 100,000)	24.7%
Small cities (cities with population under 100,000)	22.9%
Towns and villages	11.9%

The scale is based on the established standards as of March 12, 2007

Gender Distribution

Male	47.6%
Female	52.4%

Age Distribution (in years)

20-24	4.1%
25-29	4.5%
30-34	6.7%
35-39	7.9%
40-44	8.4%
45-49	8.1%
50-54	9.7%
55-59	12.7%
60-69	22.5%
Over 70 years old	15.4%

Educational Background

Elementary/middle-school graduate	16.2%
High-school student or graduate	47.3%
College/junior-college student or graduate	35.9%
Do not know; No answer	0.6%

Occupational Background

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing	3.6%
Business/Industry/Service	9.6%
Self-employed	1.2%
Management/Professional	5.2%
Office worker/Skill industry	18.3%
Labor/Service	19.1%
Housewife	23.6%
Domestic woman other than a housewife	5.6%
Student	1.5%
Other; Unemployed; No answer	12.6%

Household Annual Income (in Japanese yen)

Below 2 million	12.0%
In between 2 and 4 million	21.6%
In between 4 and 6 million	23.4%
In between 6 and 8 million	13.8%
In between 8 and 10 million	6.8%
Over 10 million	5.8%
Do not know; No answer	16.7%