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YOMIURI SHIMBUN OCTOBER 2007 OPINION POLLS (P07-36)

Yomiuri Shimbun October 2007 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

October 6-7, 2007

Released

Publishing date not available

Copyright

Yomiuri Shimbun

Methodology

Yomiuri conducted the poll in individual interviews on October 6 and 7, 2007, using a stratified two-stage random sample of 3,000 voters in 250 different locations. 1,812 people, or 60.4% of those selected, responded.

Key Issues

Evaluation of the Fukuda administration/Cabinet
Impression of LDP President/Prime Minister Fukuda vs. DPJ President Ozawa
Media-related questions: newspaper, TV coverage
Reading habits

Disclaimer

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

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

Support	59.1%
Do not support	26.7%
Other	3.1%
Do not know; No answer	11.2%

SQ1. [For those who answered “Support” to Q1]

Please select up to two reasons from the following list for why you support the Fukuda cabinet.

Positively evaluate its political stance	25.3%
Feel that it is stable	43.7%
Can trust the Prime Minister	28.5%
Positively evaluate its economic policies	8.0%
Positively evaluate its foreign policy	8.6%
It is a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party	6.5%
Fukuda is an LDP Prime Minister	13.2%
It is better than previous cabinets	19.2%
Other; Do not know; No answer	5.4%

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 Fukuda cabinet.

Cannot positively evaluate its political stance	28.8%
Do not feel that the cabinet is stable	25.7%
Cannot trust the Prime Minister	23.6%
Cannot support the administration’s economic policies	26.9%
Cannot support the administration’s foreign policy	12.0%
It is a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party	20.1%
Fukuda is an LDP Prime Minister	14.7%
It is worse than previous cabinets	4.8%
Other; Do not know; No answer	5.8%

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in June 2007

Q2. From the list below, please select all applicable issues you would like the Fukuda cabinet to prioritize and address:

Economic conditions/job security	51.1%
Fiscal reconstruction	20. 5%
Tax reform and the issue of the consumption tax	31.5%
Social security reform, including pensions and healthcare	66.0%
Support for child care and countermeasures for declining birthrates	26.8%
Education reform	18.2%
Problems of income disparities	22.6%
Administrative reform, such as cutting back the number of government employees	16.3%
Politics and money issues	35.0%
Foreign policy toward Asia, includingChinaandSouth Korea	14.1%
Issues withNorth Korea	26.5%
National defense and security	12.9%
Constitutional revision	5.6%
Disaster prevention and crisis management	8.7%
Public safety and crime prevention	18.4%
Environmental protection	21.3%
Food safety	22.6%
Other; Nothing special; Do not know; No answer	2.9%

Q3. How long do you want the Fukuda Cabinet to continue? Please select one from the list of responses.

As long as possible	32.3%
2 or 3 years	25.3%
About 1 year	18.7%
About half a year	7.3%
Want resignation as soon as possible	8.8%
Other	0.4%
Do not know; No answer	7.2%

Q4. Which political party do you currently support? Please select one.

Liberal Democratic Party	37.8% (29.3)
Democratic Party ofJapan	18.0% (20.9)
Komeito Party	2.9% ( 3.3)
JapanCommunist Party	2.5% ( 1.8)
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	0.9% ( 1.0)
The New People’s Party	--- ( 0.2)
The New PartyNippon	0.1% ( 0.2)
Other	--- ( ---)
Do not support any party	36.9% (42.4)
Do not know; No answer	0.8% ( 1.0)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2007

Q5. On the following four points, please give your impression of Prime Minister Fukuda vs. Democratic Party of Japan leader Ozawa.

S1. Do you think Prime Minister Fukuda or DPJ leader Ozawa has more leadership ability?

Fukuda	47.1%
Ozawa	39.0%
Do not know; No answer	13.9%

S2. What about political ideals/objectives?

Fukuda	48.1%
Ozawa	34.1%
Do not know; No answer	17.9%

S3. What about explanatory power toward the public?

Fukuda	52.3%
Ozawa	30.2%
Do not know; No answer	17.5%

S4. What about agreeability?

Fukuda	69.1%
Ozawa	17.7%
Do not know; No answer	13.2%

Q6. On important matters or deliberations on the budget, what sort of stance do you think the opposition party should take towards the Fukuda Cabinet? Please select one from the following.

Remain confrontational and force Cabinet to resign	10.4%
Get concessions from the ruling party with an aim to realize opposition party’s demands	20.0%
Search for common ground with the ruling party, aiming for a compromise solution	51.0%
Cooperate thoroughly with the ruling party	10.2%
Do not know; No answer	8.4 %

Q7. Under the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law, Japan 's Maritime Self Defense Force vessels have been sent to the Indian Ocean to carry out refueling activities in support of the multinational army fighting the war on terror in Afghanistan . The law permitting this activity is set to expire on November 1; do you approve or are you against the continuation of the Maritime Self Defense Force refueling activities?

Approve	49.1%
Against	37.2%
Do not know; No answer	13.7%

Q8. Do you think the Democratic Party of Japan has the capacity to govern or not?

Yes	35.0% (31.9)
No	50.3% (54.7)
Do not know; No answer	14.7% (13.4)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2007

Q9. The following are questions related to media, specifically newspapers.

S1. Do you think newspapers provide you with necessary information or information that is useful to you in your daily life or not?

Provides sufficient information	35.8% (37.3)
Generally provides information	53.0% (52.6)
Do not really provide information	7.2% ( 6.2)
Provides nearly no information	1.5% ( 1.8)
Do not know; No answer	2.5% ( 2.1)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

S2. Do you think newspapers convey facts/opinions from various standpoints in a fair and impartial way or not?

Sufficiently impartial	15.8% (15.3)
Generally impartial	56.0% (58.8)
Not really impartial	17.5% (17.0
Not impartial	5.6% ( 4.9)
Do not know; No answer	5.0% ( 4.0)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

S3. Do you think newspaper press reports are vigilant about not infringing upon citizens’ rights/privacy?

Sufficiently vigilant	17.8% (20.5)
Generally vigilant	55.1% (57.9)
Not really vigilant	17.8 % (14.6)
Not vigilant	4.5% ( 3.2)
Do not know; No answer	4.8% ( 3.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

S4. Overall, do you trust newspaper reports or not?

Greatly trust	22.2 % (24.0)
Generally trust	64.8% (65.5)
Do not really trust	8.3% ( 7.4)
Do not trust much at all	1.9% ( 1.4)
Do not know; No answer	2.7% ( 1.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

Q10. The following questions are on television.

S1. Overall, do you think TV coverage is vigilant about not to infringing upon citizens’ rights/privacy?

Sufficiently vigilant	8.2% ( 8.3)
Generally vigilant	38.1% (38.4)
Not really vigilant	37.6 % (37.3)
Not vigilant	13.6% (14.1)
Do not know; No answer	2.5% ( 1.8)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

S2. Overall, do you trust TV coverage or not?

Greatly trust	8.1% ( 9.2)
Generally trust	54.8% (56.0)
Do not really trust	27.8% (26.3)
Do not trust much at all	6.8% ( 5.9)
Do not know; No answer	2.5% ( 2.5)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

Q12. On the next three topics, which form of media do you think plays the largest role? Please choose up to three from the possible responses.

S1. Please choose up to three forms of media that you think play a large role in transmitting world events quickly.

Standard newspaper	51.1%
Sports paper	3.0%
Evening paper	4.4%
NHK [public broadcast] TV	69.6%
Commercial television	59.1%
Radio	29.2%
Monthly magazine	0.4%
Weekly magazine	1.4%
Internet	33.1%
Other; Nothing special; Do not know; No answer	1.0%

S2. What about in terms of offering commentary, giving background, and probing into related issues? Please choose up to three.

Standard newspaper	63.8%
Sports paper	2.3%
Evening paper	3.6%
NHK [public broadcast] TV	57.2%
Commercial television	50.9%
Radio	10.0%
Monthly magazine	4.8%
Weekly magazine	10.7%
Internet	10.7%
Other; Nothing special; Do not know; No answer	3.9%

S3. What about in terms of covering injustices committed in the world and by those in power? Please choose up to three.

Standard newspaper	51.4%
Sports paper	3.3%
Evening paper	2.3%
NHK [public broadcast] TV	33.4%
Commercial television	58.8%
Radio	6.8%
Monthly magazine	7.6%
Weekly magazine	26.5%
Internet	10.6%
Other; Nothing special; Do not know; No answer	7.0%

Q13. Recently, the number of internet users in increasing; do you think newspapers will continue to be necessary to gain information/knowledge or not?

Necessary	73.9%
Generally necessary	18.2%
Generally unnecessary	4.1%
Unnecessary	2.6%
Do not know; No answer	1.2%

Q14. On average, how much time do you spend a day using reading the newspaper? Please select one from the following.

About 10 minutes	18.0% (18.0)
About 20 minutes	20.9% (22.1)
About 30 minutes	27.5% (27.3)
About 40 minutes	7.4% ( 8.6)
About 50 minutes	2.2% ( 2.2)
About 1 hour	11.7% (12.2)
About 1.5 hours	2.8% ( 2.6)
More than 2 hours	2.0% ( 1.7)
Do not read at all	4.2% ( 3.8)
Do not know; No answer	3.2% ( 1.6)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in September 2006

Q15. On average, how much time do you spend a day using the internet, either on your PC or cell phone? Please select one from the following.

Less than 30 minutes	22.5%
Less than 1 hour	13.5%
Less than 1.5 hours	5.0%
Less than 2 hours	7.0%
Less than 3 hours	3.3%
Les than 4 hours	1.3%
Less than 5 hours	0.9%
More than 5 hours	1.2%
Do not use at all	45.2%
Do not know; No answer	0.2%

Q16. Recently, there have been movements to utilize newspapers in the classroom. Through these efforts, what sort of educational benefits do you think can be expected? Please choose as many from the following as apply.

Will become used to the printed word	51.1%
Will become interested in world events	62.6%
Will pick up habit of reading/seeing news	45.0%
Will pick up practice of self-conducted research	28.6%
Will become able to discuss news with family/friends	33.8%
Other	0.3%
Nothing in particular	4.8%
Do not know; No answer	2.2%

The following questions are about reading.

Q17. In this past month, about how many books have you read, not counting magazines?

One	18.3% (17.9)
Two	13.9% (16.0)
Three	7.9% ( 8.5)
Four	2.5% ( 2.5)
Five to nine	3.9% ( 4.0)
Over ten	1.7% ( 1.8)
Did not read any	51.5% (49.0)
Do not know; No answer	0.3% ( 0.2)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2006

SQ. [For those who answered “Did not read any” to Q17 only]

Why didn’t you read a book this month? Please select as many reasons from the following as apply.

Did not have time	48.6% (45.0)
There was no book I wanted to read	19.0% (19.9)
Can get knowledge/information elsewhere	11.3% (17.6)
Not negatively impacted by not reading	19.7% (20.9)
Do not like reading books	9.2% (12.8)
Books are expensive	2.5 % ( 1.8)
Do not want to spend money on books	2.0% ( 2.9)
Cannot read due to health reasons	15.8% (17.4)
Do not know; No answer	6.3% ( 5.5)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2006

Q18. What is the main reason you read books? Please choose as many from the following as apply.

To deepen knowledge, education	38.7% (35.8)
To make use of at work	18.0 % (14.9)
To keep up with my hobbies	23.7% (23.8)
To understand the trend of the times	12.1% (14.8)
To gain hints on life	11.8% (12.6)
To experience a world separate from reality	8.7% ( 9.4)
It is interesting	32.5% (38.2)
It is a good way to pass time	18.5% (17.4)
It is a habit	7.5% ( 6.3)
Other; Do not read; Do not know; No answer	17.8% (20.0)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2006

Q17. Out of the following genres of books, which would you most like to read? Please select up to three.

Pure literature (Post-war to contemporary)	7.9% (10.5)
Pure literature (Pre-war)	2.6% ( 3.0)
Classical literature	2.3% ( 3.6)
Historical/period novel	22.0% (21.8)
Detective/Science Fiction/adventure/“light novel”	21.4% (24.2)
Nonfiction/biography	14.3% (16.1)
Essay	15.5% (17.9)
Archaeology/history	6.6% ( 4.6)
Philosophy/ideology/religion	4.5% ( 4.4)
Politics/law/international relations	8.3% ( 5.4)
Economics/business/international economy	10.2% ( 9.6)
Natural science	6.1% ( 6.1)
Health/medicine/welfare/pension system	24.6% (21.3)
Education/child-raising	7.9% ( 8.0)
Food/diet	17.7% (16.9)
Travel/leisure/sports	23.6% (21.7)
Computers/information technology (IT)	5.0% ( 5.7)
Other; Nothing in particular; Do not know; No answer	14.7% (16.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2006

Q20. Recently, several new [Shinsho; 11x17 cm paperback] books that are themed on current affairs or basic education have become bestsellers. Compared with before, do you read these new paperback books more, less, or the same; or did you not read these books to begin with?

More	7.6%
Same	38.4%
Less	11.5%
Do not read new books	40.5%
Do not know; No answer	2.0%

SQ. [For those who answered “More” to Q20 only]

Please choose as many reasons from the following as apply as to why you came to read more of these new paperback books.

Titles are interesting	29.0%
Content is interesting	36.2%
They are on hot topics	49.3%
Useful for living	16.7%
To gain knowledge	34.1%
Can read easily	27.5%
They are cheap	9.4%
Books are small and easy to carry around	9.4%
Other; Do not know; No answer	2.2%

Q21. Not considering magazines, during what time do you most often enjoy reading? Please choose as many from the following as apply.

While commuting to work, school, etc.	12.0%
During work/housework/study breaks	16.6%
While waiting at hospitals, banks, salon, etc.	14.6%
While eating/drinking	2.2%
While relaxing at home	52.6%
Before going to bed	26.4%
Other	0.7%
Do not read; Do not know; No answer	20.6%

Q22. Have you ever purchased a book online? Please select one from the following, not counting magazines.

Have purchased online	13.1% (10.1)
Have not purchased but would like to try	18.9% (18.9)
No desire to purchase online	63.0% (67.3)
Do not know; No answer	5.1% ( 3.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2005

Q23. If there is something you would like from publishers or bookstores, please select as many from the following as apply.

Increase number of books with large print	27.3%
Increase quality of books over number published	13.1%
Reprint classics that have gone out of print	12.2%
Increase number of new paperback books	10.2%
Lower price of books	36.9%
Actively introduce good books	23.3%
Increase number of digital books that can be read on cell phone, etc.	4.1%
Make books easier to find by introducing search systems, etc.	14.0%
Have ordered books delivered right away	10.8%
Other; Nothing in particular; Do not know; No answer	24.9%

Q24. In this past year, have you used the library? Please choose one from the following that is closest to your answer.

Nearly every day	0.6% ( 0.6)
Once or twice a week	3.3% ( 2.6)
Once or twice a month	11.3% (13.3)
Once or twice every 6 months	11.5% ( 8.3)
Once or twice this year	8.8% (13.9)
Have not used	64.4% (61.3)
Do not know; No answer	0.2% ( 0.1)%

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in October 2004

Q25. If there is something you would like from public libraries, please select as many from the following as apply.

Increase number of libraries	13.2%
Increase size of book collection	16.0%
Make books easier to find	21.8%
Stay open at night	20.5%
Decrease number of library closure days	9.8%
Expand book lending/return services to convenience stores or other convenient places	20.0%
Set up a corner, etc., for middle/high school students to create an environment where they can enjoy books	8.3%
Work on improving library users’ manners	10.3%
Make it so books can be requested from other libraries	7.5%
Other; Nothing in particular; Do not know; No answer	41.3%

Fundamental Characteristics of the Survey Sample:

Regional Distribution

Hokkaido, Tohoku	12.0%
Kanto	29.4%
Chubu	18.9%
Kinki	18.7%
Chugoku,Shikoku	9.4%
Kyushu	11.5%

City Scale

Large metropolitan areas (Tokyo’s 23 wards and ordinance-designated cities)	23.0%
Large mid-sized cities (cities with population over 300,000)	16.4%
Mid-sized cities (cities with population over 100,000)	24.7%
Small cities (cities with population under 100,000)	24.3%
Towns and villages	11.6%

The scale is based on the established standards as of September 30, 2007

Gender Distribution

Male	46.9%
Female	53.1%

Age Distribution (in years)

20-24	4.0%
25-29	6.3%
30-34	7.3%
35-39	7.9%
40-44	7.3%
45-49	7.3%
50-54	9.0%
55-59	12.7%
60-69	21.4%
Over 70 years old	16.8%

Educational Background

Elementary/middle-school graduate	16.6%
High-school student or graduate	50.4%
College/junior-college student or graduate	32.3%
Do not know; No answer	0.7%

Occupational Background

[Self-employed]	15.2%
[Salaried worker]	43.7%
[Other]	41.2%
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing	5.2%
Business/Industry/Service	8.2%
Freelance Professional	1.7%
Management/Professional	5.4%
Office worker/Skill industry	18.0%
Labor/Service	20.2%
Housewife	22.9%
Domestic woman other than a housewife	4.2%
Student	1.9%
Other; Unemployed; No answer	12.1%

Household Annual Income (in Japanese yen)

Below 2 million	10.6%
In between 2 and 4 million	22.6%
In between 4 and 6 million	20.3%
In between 6 and 8 million	16.4%
In between 8 and 10 million	6.8%
Over 10 million	5.2%
Do not know; No answer	18.0%