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YOMIURI SHIMBUN JANUARY 2007 OPINION POLLS (P07-5)

Yomiuri Shimbun January 2007 Opinion Polls

Dates Conducted

January 20 and 21, 2007

Released

Publishing date not available

Copyright

Yomiuri Shimbun 2007

Methodology

Yomiuri conducted the poll in individual interviews on January 20 and 21 using a stratified two-stage random sample of 3,000 voters in 250 different locations. 1,780 people, or 59.3% of those selected, responded.

Key Issues

• Japan Defense Agency upgrade to Ministry of Defense and new Self-Defense Force priorities
• Support for Abe Cabinet
• Patriotism incorporated in the new basic education law
• Arrest of some governors for bid-rigging and bribery

Background

Starting in January 2007, the status of the Japan Defense Agency was raised to that of a full-fledged ministry: the Ministry of Defense. Although the change of status does not have a direct impact on the security policymaking of Japan, it represents a further acceptance of defense-related issues in the Japanese polity. Also around this time, the new basic education law, which incorporates some moral points such as the spirit of patriotism and respect for culture, tradition and public spirit, was enacted. The law sparked controversy because, as some argued, it was forcibly enacted without sufficient discussion about what those moral points actually mean and to what extent the government should dictate those points. Finally, in January, Japanese media focused on bid-rigging and bribery charges leveled at the governors of Fukushima, Wakayama and Miyazaki.

Link to Original Source

Data received directly from Yomiuri Shimbun

Disclaimer

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

Survey:

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

Support	48.4% (55.9)
Do not support	38.9% (30.0)
Other	4.4% (3.5)
Do not know; No answer	8.3% (10.6)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in December, 2006.

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

Positively evaluate its political stance	27.4%
Feel that it is stable	10.2%
Can trust the Prime Minister	25.0%
Have a fresh image of the Prime Minister	48.8%
Can support its economic policies	3.1%
Can support its foreign policy	18.2%
Because of the coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the NewKomeitoParty	8.9%
It is better than previous cabinets	8.0%
Other; Do not know; No answer	5.0%

Please select from the list below up to two reasons why you support the Abe Cabinet:

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

Cannot positively evaluate its political stance	40.3%
Do not feel that the cabinet is stable	30.0%
Cannot trust the Prime Minister	24.4%
The Prime Minister's political experience is lacking	19.8%
Cannot support the administration's economic policies	23.1%
Cannot support the administration's foreign policy	10.4%
Because of the coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the NewKomeitoParty	11.4%
The current cabinet is worse than the previous ones	8.4%
Other; Do not know; No answer	4.9%

Please select from the list below up to two reasons why you do not support the Abe Cabinet:

Q2. From the list below, please select all applicable issues you would like the Abe Cabinet to prioritize and tackle.

Economic conditions/job security	53.7% (52.0)
Financial reconstruction	20.7% (19.0)
Tax reform and the issue of consumption tax	32.0% (31.8)
Social security reform including pension and healthcare	63.0% (59.3)
Support for child care and counter-measures for declining birthrates	28.9% (29.9)
Education reform	25.3% (26.7)
Administrative reform such as cutting back government employees	20.3% (18.6)
Problems of income disparities	26.2% (21.1)
Issues surrounding Yasukuni Shrine	6.1% (6.2)
Diplomacy toward Asia, including China and South Korea	14.6% (16.5)
Issues overNorth Korea	31.3% (33.6)
National defense and security	11.5% (10.7)
Constitutional reform	7.0% (5.8)
Disaster prevention and crisis management	10.6% (8.9)
Measures for preventing crimes and securing peace and order	21.7% (20.2)
Environmental protection	16.6% (14.1)
Food safety	17.6% (11.6)
Other; Nothing special; Do not know; No answer	2.8% (2.7)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in December, 2006.

Q3. Which political party do you support right now? Please select one:

Liberal Democratic Party	39.3% (40.8)
Democratic Party ofJapan	12.5% (11.7)
NewKomeitoParty	2.5% (2.7)
JapanCommunist Party	2.1% (1.2)
Social Democratic Party ofJapan	1.3% (1.0)
The People's New Party	0.2% (---)
The New PartyNippon	0.1% (---)
Others	0.1% (0.1)
Do not support any party	41.5% (41.7)
Do not know; No answer	0.6% (0.9)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in December, 2006.

Q4. Are you interested in current politics or not?

Greatly interested	29.7% (31.5)
Somewhat interested	46.3% (45.6)
Not interested very much	19.8% (17.7)
Not interested at all	3.8% (4.9)
Do not know; No answer	0.4% (0.2)

Figures in parentheses are results from polls conducted in January, 2006.

Q5. So far, the Japan Self-Defense Force has worked on activities such as national defense, disaster restoration in Japan or overseas, international peacekeeping operations abroad, etc. As a whole, do you support these SDF activities or not?

Greatly support	33.7%
Somewhat support	48.5%
Do not support very much	11.1%
Do not support at all	3.8%
Do not know; No answer	2.9%

Q6. The Japan Defense Agency was raised to the status of the Ministry of Defense on January 9. Do you support this or not?

Greatly support	16.3%
Somewhat support	29.4%
Do not support very much	27.8%
Do not support at all	11.4%
Do not know; No answer	15.0%

Q7. Along with the change of the Ministry of Defense, some responsibilities of the SDF that were regarded as subordinate, such as international peacekeeping operations and the evacuation of Japanese nationals in the case of emergencies abroad, have been upgraded to primary responsibilities equivalent to national defense. Do you support this or not?

Greatly support	25.4%
Somewhat support	37.2%
Do not support very much	21.1%
Do not support at all	7.2%
Do not know; No answer	9.0%

Q8. Do you think the Japanese people as a whole have a strong feeling of love for their own country? Or is the feeling of love for their own country weak?

Strong	15.7%
If anything, strong	23.3%
If anything, weak	33.6%
Weak	24.8%
Do not know; No answer	2.6%

Q9. The revised basic education law took effect last December. Under this new education law, the spirit of patriotism is incorporated as stated: “to respect tradition and culture, and love the nation which has cultivated them, and to nurture the attitude of respect for other nations and contribute to international peace and development”. Do you support the fact that the spirit of patriotism was incorporated in the law, or not?

Greatly support	27.5%
Somewhat support	39.1%
Do not support very much	21.3%
Do not support at all	7.5%
Do not know; No answer	4.6%

Q10. In addition to the above, the new basic education law clearly states the responsibility of parents and respect for the public spirit. As a whole, do you support the new basic education law?

Greatly support	31.1%
Somewhat support	43.8%
Do not support very much	14.6%
Do not support at all	3.9%
Do not know; No answer	6.6%

Q11. Are you interested in the politics and the public administration of the prefecture where you currently live?

Greatly interested	29.9%
Somewhat interested	41.8%
Not interested very much	22.4%
Not interested at all	5.0%
Do not know; No answer	1.0%

Q12. Let us ask you about the governor of the prefecture you currently live in. (Those in Miyazaki Prefecture are not asked this question.)

S1. Right now do you trust the current governor, or not?

Greatly trust	13.7%
Somewhat trust	44.0%
Do not trust very much	27.3%
Do not trust at all	8.0%
Do not know; No answer	7.0%

S2. Do you think the current governor reflects the residents’ opinions regarding actual public administration, or not?

Greatly reflects	5.7%
Somewhat reflects	39.1%
Does not reflect very much	31.8%
Does not reflect at all	9.2%
Do not know; No answer	14.2%

S3. Do you think that the current governor fully explains to residents about the management of public administration, or not?

Fully explains	5.1%
Explains to some extent	29.7%
Does not explain very much	41.5%
Does not explain at all	15.5%
Do not know; No answer	8.2%

Q13. Previous governors in Fukushima, Wakayama, and Miyazaki were arrested for bid-rigging or bribery cases over public works. After this series of scandals, as a whole, has your degree of trust toward the governor been lowered, or has it remained the same?

Has been very much lowered	30.6%
Has been a little bit lowered	33.8%
Remains the same	34.3%
Do not know; No answer	1.3%

Q14. As a background for triggering those scandals, if there are any problems you see as especially serious, please select as many as you like from the list below:

The governor has much power (budget, personnel matters, etc.)	31.7%
It costs a lot of money for a governor's election	23.9%
The Assembly is not playing a role of a checking institution to the administrative body	38.3%
Public information is not open enough	32.5%
Local government employees are having a close relationship with the companies that are involved in public works through re-reemployment with them	59.6%
There is a problem in the bidding system to decide the companies that can work on the public works	34.6%
The punishment against illegal acts is weak	34.2%
Voters do not pay attention to public management on daily basis	22.1%
The same governor gets elected for many terms	31.0%
There is a problem in the governor's qualification and political stance	22.1%
Other	0.6%
Nothing special	3.5%
Do not know; No answer	2.1%

Q15. After a series of scandals, the Association of Governors has been working to prevent it from happening again. In regard to the three measures below, please answer whether or not it is effective to prevent it from happening again.

S1. Do you think it is effective to let more companies participate in general bidding over public works?

Effective	44.9%
Somewhat effective	31.0%
If anything, not effective	9.1%
Not effective	9.2%
Do not know; No answer	5.8%

S2. How about establishing a system where illegal acts by the governor or the officials in management can be internally reported?

Effective	58.2%
Somewhat effective	26.3%
If anything, not effective	6.6%
Not effective	4.9%
Do not know; No answer	3.9%

S3. How about regulating the practice where local government employees are hired by companies that they regulate or to which they are closely connected?

Effective	63.8%
Somewhat effective	22.8%
If anything, not effective	5.4%
Not effective	4.6%
Do not know; No answer	3.4%

Q16. Do you think the governor in the prefecture you live in is actively working to avoid those scandals happening again, or not? (People in Miyazaki prefecture are not asked about this question.)

Do think so	24.3%
Do not think so	30.2%
Cannot say which	36.4%
Do not know; No answer	9.1%

Q17. In general, up to how many terms do you think it is appropriate for a governor to serve? Please select one from the list below:

Up to 1 term (4 years)	18.5%
Up to 2 terms (8 years)	47.2%
Up to 3 terms (12 years)	18.2%
Up to 4 terms (16 years)	1.1%
Up to 5 terms (20 years)	---
Other	0.6%
No special limit	11.6%
Do not know; No answer	2.7%

Q18. Do you think there should be a guideline to limit the number of times the same governor gets elected, or not?

Do think so	59.4%
Do not think so	18.1%
Cannot say which	21.0%
Do not know; No answer	1.5%

Q19. What do you think are the qualifications specially needed for a governor? Please select as many as you like from the list below:

Experience and career	29.5%
Connection with the central government	23.1%
Willingness to make reforms actively	38.7%
Leadership	60.6%
Ability to coordinate	24.4%
Vitality	59.6%
Good ideas	24.7%
Cleanness	37.5%
Friendliness	18.7%
Others	0.6%
Nothing special	2.8%
Do not know; No answer	0.8%

Fundamental Characteristics of Survey Sample:

Regional Distribution

Hokkaido, Tohoku	11.7%
Kanto	30.1%
Chubu	19.1%
Kinki	17.6%
Chugoku,Shikoku	9.3%
Kyushu	12.2%

City Scale

Large Metropolitan areas (Tokyo's 23 wards and ordinance designated cities)	22.4%
Large mid-sized cities (cities with population over 300,000)	18.7%
Mid-sized cities (cities with population over 100,000)	23.6%
Small cities (cities with population under 100,000)	23.5%
Towns and villages	11.8%

The scale is based on the standards set up as of November 1, 2006

Gender Distribution

Male	48.8%
Female	51.2%

Age Distribution (in years)

20-24	4.4%
25-29	6.0%
30-34	8.0%
35-39	7.8%
40-44	7.0%
45-49	8.2%
50-54	9.0%
55-59	12.9%
60-69	20.7%
Over 70 years old	16.1%

Educational Background

Middle School	14.8%
High School	47.5%
College/Junior College	37.0%
No answer	0.6%

Occupational Background

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing	3.5%
Business/Industry/Service	8.9%
Self-employed	1.5%
Management/Professional	5.5%
Office worker/Skill industry	18.9%
Labor/Service	20.1%
Housewife	22.0%
Domestic woman other than a housewife	4.6%
Student	2.0%
Other/unemployed/No answer	13.1%

Household Annual Income (in Japanese yen

Below 2 million	9.3%
In between 2 and 4 million	20.1%
In between 4 and 6 million	21.7%
In between 6 and 8 million	14.9%
In between 8 and 10 million	7.1%
Over 10 million	6.2%
No answer	20.7%