NIKKEI SHIMBUN DECEMBER 2007 OPINION
POLLS (P07-34)
Nikkei Shimbun December 2007 Opinion Polls
Dates Conducted
December 14-16, 2007
Copyright
Nikkei Shimbun
Methodology
Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.
Key Issues
Ruling and opposition party "policy consultation" vs. debate in the Diet
Resumption of Maritime Self Defense Forces refueling activities in Indian Ocean
Timing of dissolution of the Lower House
Background
The
dust having just settled over Democratic Party of Japan leader Ozawa’s offer to
resign and subsequent retraction of that resignation, Prime Minister and LDP
head Fukuda met with Ozawa on November 22, 2007. During the meeting, Fukuda suggested
holding policy discussions on pension reform and restarting the Maritime Self
Defense Forces refueling mission in the
Indian Ocean
,
but Ozawa refused, insisting that they debate in the Diet. The anti-terrorism
special measures law, which allowed the Maritime Self Defense Forces to
participate in refueling operations in the
Indian Ocean
,
expired on November 1; lacking the opposition party’s support for its
extension, the government was forced to withdraw MSDF from the region.
Resumption of the refueling activities continues to be the main bone of
contention between the ruling coalition and the DPJ, and the public is also split
on the topic.
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of
this Nikkei Telephone poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use
Survey:
All numbers
are percentages.
Q1. Do you support or not support the Fukuda cabinet? (N=870)
Support
43
Do not support
46
No answer/do not know
11
Q1SQ1. For those who answered “support”: What are the
reasons for your support? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven
answers. (N=373)
Because it is an LDP cabinet
27
Good policies
5
Good sense of international affairs
14
Leadership
8
Stability
26
Trustworthy character of members
41
Politically clean
11
Others
4
No answer/do not know
5
Q1SQ2. For those who answered “do not support,” what are the
reasons for not supporting? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven
answers. (N=399)
Because it is an LDP cabinet
27
Bad policies
33
Bad sense of international affairs
7
Lack of leadership
43
Instability
27
Members not trustworthy
23
Politically not clean
5
Others
3
No answer/do not know
2
Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please
choose only one. (N=870)
Liberal Democratic Party
33
Democratic Party ofJapan
24
Komeito
4
JapanCommunist Party
2
Social Democratic Party
1
The People's New Party
0
The New Party ofJapan
0
Other political party
0
Do not support any party
29
No answer/do not know
6
Q2SQ. For those who answered “do not support any party” or
“no answer/do not know,” if you are to name one, which political party do you
favor? (N=291)
Liberal Democratic Party
15
Democratic Party ofJapan
28
Komeito
1
JapanCommunist Party
5
Social Democratic Party
2
The People's New Party
1
The New Party ofJapan
0
Other political party
0
Do not favor any party
34
No answer/do not know
15
[Support + Preferable Parties (N=870)]
Liberal Democratic Party
38
Democratic Party ofJapan
34
Komeito
4
JapanCommunist Party
4
Social Democratic Party
2
The People's New Party
1
The New Party ofJapan
0
Other political party
0
Do not support or favor any party
12
No answer/do not know
5
Q3. Do you approve or not of the performance of the Fukuda
cabinet? (N=870)
Approve
33
Do not approve
50
Cannot say either
6
No answer/do not know
1
Q3SQ1. For those who answered “approve,” what is the biggest
reason for your approval? Please choose one from the following answers. (N=283)
Stance on local revitalization
9
Efforts for fiscal reform and economy policy
17
Efforts for pension issues
19
Stance on reducing elderly's burden of medical expenses
11
Handling of antiterrorism measures issue
13
Handling of North Korean issue
4
Handling of Ministry of Defense scandals
6
Handling of "politics and money" issues
12
Others
4
No answer/do not know
7
Q3SQ2. For those who answered “do not approve,” what is the biggest
reason for your lack of approval? Please choose one from the following answers.
(N=437)
Stance on local revitalization
4
Efforts for fiscal reform and economy policy
24
Efforts for pension issues
27
Stance on reducing elderly's burden of medical expenses
11
Handling of antiterrorism measures issue
2
Handling of North Korean issue
3
Handling of Ministry of Defense scandals
7
Handling of "politics and money" issues
15
Others
3
No answer/do not know
3
Q4. At
a meeting between party leaders in late November, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
asked Ichiro Ozawa (DPJ head) to cooperate in forming a discussion forum on the
issues of pensions and refueling operations in the
Indian
Ocean
. Ozawa refused, stating that they should debate in the Diet.
In the future, how do you think the LDP and the DPJ should deal with these
issues in the Diet? (N=870)
The LDP and the DPJ should hold policy consultations
24
The parties should debate during sessions of the Diet
63
Others
1
No answer/do not know
12
Q5. In the future, should the Democratic Party of Japan take
an adversarial stance or a cooperative stance toward the government/ruling
party? (N=870)
DPJ should take an adversarial stance
35
DPJ should take a cooperative stance
49
No answer/do not know
17
Q6. To support antiterrorism measures in
Afghanistan
, the government dispatched the
Maritime Self Defense Forces to the
Indian Ocean
,
where it carried out logistic support operations. However, as the law permitting
this expired November 1, the forces were withdrawn. Do you think activities in
the
Indian Ocean
should be resumed? (N=870)
Activities should be resumed
39
Activities should not be resumed
44
Others
0
No answer/do not know
17
Q7. In the event that the Upper House votes down the new bill
to resume MSDF refueling activities, the ruling party is prepared to hold a
second vote on the bill in the Lower House, where it has a two-thirds majority.
Do you approve or not approve of holding a revote in the Lower House? (N=870)
Approve
41
Do not approve
39
No answer/do not know
20
Q8. In the future, what kind of administration is desirable
to you? (N=870)
An LDP single-party government
7
A coalition government based on the LDP and the Komeito
14
A DPJ-based government (non-LDP)
25
A coalition government that includes LDP and DPJ
36
Others
2
No answer/do not know
16
Q9. When do you think the dissolution of the House of
Representatives and the general elections should be carried out? (N=870)
The House of Representatives should be dissolved as soon as possible
20
The House of Representatives should be dissolved after the budget is approved in spring of next year
32
It is not necessary to dissolve it in a hurry
34
Others
0
No answer/do not know
14
Q10. If an election for the House of Representatives were
held right now, which party would you vote for in the proportional
representation section of the ballot? Please choose one from the following.
(N=870)
Liberal Democratic Party
32
Democratic Party ofJapan
38
Komeito
4
JapanCommunist Party
3
Social Democratic Party
3
The People's New Party
1
The New Party ofJapan
0
Other political party
0
Would not vote
1
Cast a blank ballot
0
Undecided
2
No answer/do not know
14
F1. Gender (Determined by the polltaker) (N=870)
Male
43
Female
57
Unknown
0
F2. How old are you? (N=870)
In my 20s
6
In my 30s
19
In my 40s
18
In my 50s
16
In my 60s
23
70 years old or older
18
Refused to answer
1
Average age: 53.5
F3. What is your occupation? (N=870)
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
4
Employee (company or government employee, teacher, etc.)
42
Self-owned business, self-employed (including a homemaker)
