Nikkei Shimbun May 2008 Telephone Opinion Poll
Dates Conducted
May 23 – 25, 2008
Methodology
Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown.
Key Issues
- Support for the Fukuda Cabinet
- Medical system for late-stage seniors
- Dissolution of the House of Representatives
Disclaimer
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Nikkei Shimbun poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use.
Survey
*All numbers are percentages
*Number in parentheses are the number of respondents
Q1. Do you support or not support the Fukuda Cabinet? (N=966)
| Support | 24 |
| Do not support | 64 |
| No answer/Do not know | 12 |
SQ1. For those who answered “support,” what are the reasons for your support? Please choose as many as apply from the following seven answers. (N=230)
| Because it is an LDP cabinet | 36 |
| Good policies | 9 |
| Good sense of international affairs | 11 |
| Leadership | 6 |
| Stability | 11 |
| Trustworthy character of members | 38 |
| Politically clean | 14 |
| Others | 6 |
| No answer/Do not know | 3 |
SQ2. 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=615)
| Because it is an LDP cabinet | 20 |
| Bad policies | 52 |
| Bad sense of international affairs | 13 |
| Lack of leadership | 56 |
| Instability | 32 |
| Members not trustworthy | 15 |
| Politically not clean | 5 |
| Others | 2 |
| No answer/Do not know | 1 |
Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please choose only one. (N=966)
| Liberal Democratic Party | 26 |
| Democratic Party of Japan | 25 |
| Komeito | 3 |
| Japan Communist Party | 3 |
| Social Democratic Party | 1 |
| The People’s New Party | 0 |
| The New Party of Japan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Do not favor any political party | 33 |
| No answer/Do not know | 7 |
SQ1. 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=385)
| Liberal Democratic Party | 11 |
| Democratic Party of Japan | 27 |
| Komeito | 3 |
| Japan Communist Party | 2 |
| Social Democratic Party | 2 |
| The People’s New Party | 0 |
| The New Party of Japan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Do not favor any political party | 41 |
| No answer/Do not know | 13 |
[Support + Preferable Parties (N=966)]
| Liberal Democratic Party | 31 |
| Democratic Party of Japan | 36 |
| Komeito | 5 |
| Japan Communist Party | 4 |
| Social Democratic Party | 2 |
| The People’s New Party | 0 |
| The New Party of Japan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Do not support or favor any political party | 16 |
| No answer/Do not know | 5 |
Q3. The government has received criticism for the implementation of the medical system for late-stage seniors (for those 75 years or older) and is currently taking a second look into the system. What are your opinions on this subject? Please choose one from the following four choices. (N=966)
| Abolish the system | 25 |
| Examine the system thoroughly | 11 |
| Stop automatically deducting health insurance premiums from pension benefits | 20 |
| Take measures to reduce health insurance premiums for lower-income people | 35 |
| Others | 3 |
| No answer/Do not know | 7 |
Q4. As the aging population (increase in elderly, decreasing birthrate) continues to grow, social security expenses such as pensions, health care, etc. are getting higher. What are your thoughts on social security and the costs of social security as a tax burden? Please choose one from the following. (N=966)
| Although the burden may increase, current social security should be maintained/expanded | 23 |
| Adjust social security burden to current conditions | 49 |
| Reduce burden even if it means a decrease in social security | 15 |
| Others | 4 |
| No answer/Do not know | 9 |
Q5. The revenue source for the national pension that all citizens contribute to is taxes and health insurance premiums. What are your thoughts on this? (N=966)
| Everything should be provided through taxes and health insurance premiums | 63 |
| Everything should be provided through taxes | 24 |
| Others | 3 |
| No answer/Do not know | 10 |
Q6. What should Prime Minister Fukuda do in order to overcome a “divided Diet”? Please choose one from the following five options. (N=966)
| Dissolve the House of Representatives and hold general elections | 37 |
| Discuss policy with opposition parties | 25 |
| Form a “grand coalition” with the Democratic Party of Japan | 8 |
| Reorganize the political system | 15 |
| Not necessary to take special measures | 6 |
| No answer/Do not know | 9 |
Q7. Should the opposition party submit a censure motion against Prime Minister Fukuda while the House of Councillors is in session? (N=966)
| They should submit the motion | 45 |
| They should not submit the motion | 33 |
| No answer/Do not know | 22 |
Q8. When do you think the dissolution of the House of Representatives and the next general election should be held? (N=966)
| Dissolve the House of Representatives as soon as possible | 18 |
| After the G8 Summit in July | 24 |
| Within the year | 23 |
| There is no need to speed up the dissolution of the House of Representatives | 25 |
| Others | 0 |
| No answer/Do not know | 9 |
Q9. What kind of administration is desirable for you in the future? Please pick one from the four choices below: (N=966)
| LDP administration | 6 |
| LDP, Komeito coalition | 11 |
| DPJ, non-LDP coalition | 24 |
| LDP, DPJ coalition | 40 |
| Others | 4 |
| No answer/Do not know | 14 |
Q10. Who do you believe is most qualified to be prime minister? Please choose one from the following. (N=966)
| Yasuo Fukuda | 4 |
| Taro Aso | 21 |
| Koike Yuriko | 3 |
| Junichiro Koizumi | 13 |
| Sadakazu Tanigaki | 3 |
| Kaoru Yosano | 2 |
| Ichiro Ozawa | 10 |
| Katsuya Okada | 3 |
| Naoto Kan | 6 |
| Yukio Hatoyama | 3 |
| Seiji Maehara | 3 |
| Others | 6 |
| No answer/Do not know | 22 |
Polling Information
F1. Gender (Determined by the polltaker) (N=966)
| Male | 43 |
| Female | 56 |
| Unknown | 0 |
F2. How old are you? (N=966)
| In my 20s | 7 |
| In my 30s | 17 |
| In my 40s | 17 |
| In my 50s | 19 |
| In my 60s | 20 |
| 70 years old or older | 16 |
| Refused to answer | 4 |
Average Age 53.0
F3. What is your occupation? (N=966)
| Agriculture, forestry and fisheries | 4 |
| Employee (company or governmental employee, teacher, etc.) | 42 |
| Self-owned business, self-employed (including a homemaker) | 10 |
| Full-time housewife (without job only) | 22 |
| Student | 2 |
| Unemployed | 16 |
| Refused to answer | 4 |