Yomiuri Shimbun November 2009 Japan-China Joint Public Opinion Poll
Dates Conducted
Japan: November 14 and 15, 2009
China: November 14 – 24, 2009
Methodology
Japan : Yomiuri conducted the poll through individual interviews with males and females over the age of 20, using a stratified two-stage random sample of 3,000 voters in 250 different locations. 1, 796 people of those selected responded (Males 48%, Females 52%).
China: The Xinhua’s Oriental Outlook Weekly magazine published by the Xinhua News Agency conducted the poll in phone interviews with males and females over the age of 20 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Shenyang, Chengdu, Xi’an, Harbin, Qingdao, and Changsha. 1,261 people of those selected responded (Males 51%, Females 49%).
Key Issues
- Japanese-Chinese relations
- Issues of importance to Japanese-Chinese relations
- Perceptions/impressions of the other
Disclaimer
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Yomiuri Shimbun poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use.
Survey
*All numbers are percentages
Q1. Do you think the current state of the Japanese-Chinese relationship is good or bad?
| Japan | China | |
| Very good | 4 | 4 |
| If I were to choose, good | 41 | 46 |
| If I were to choose, bad | 39 | 34 |
| Very bad | 8 | 9 |
| No answer | 8 | 6 |
Q2. Do you think China ( Japan ) is trustworthy or not trustworthy?
Words in parenthesis were conducted in China only
| Japan | China | |
| Greatly trustworthy | 3 | 3 |
| Somewhat trustworthy | 25 | 31 |
| Not very trustworthy | 46 | 41 |
| Not trustworthy | 23 | 22 |
| No answer | 3 | 3 |
Q3. Do you think the Japanese-Chinese relationship will improve, worsen or stay the same in the future?
| Japan | China | |
| Improve greatly | 5 | 7 |
| If I were to choose, relations will improve | 29 | 46 |
| Stay the same | 50 | 31 |
| If I were to choose, relations will worsen | 10 | 8 |
| Worsen greatly | 2 | 3 |
| No answer | 4 | 5 |
Q4. In regards to the influence the Hatoyama Cabinet will have on Japanese-Chinese relations, do you think they will have a plus or minus influence?
| Japan | China | |
| Will have a larger plus influence | 29 | 31 |
| Will have a larger minus influence | 17 | 12 |
| The plus and minus influence will be about the same | 41 | 35 |
| No answer | 13 | 22 |
Q5. In which areas do you think Japan and China should pursue cooperation? Please choose as many as apply:
| Japan | China | |
| Politics/Diplomacy | 48 | 38 |
| Economy | 52 | 50 |
| National security | 35 | 28 |
| Resources/Energy development | 38 | 31 |
| Science technology | 11 | 58 |
| Environmental issues | 49 | 43 |
| Measures to combat infectious diseases such as pandemic influenzas | 14 | 33 |
| Education/Culture | 14 | 46 |
| Other | 0 | 5 |
| None/No answer | 6 | 3 |
Q6. In regard to China ’s economic development, do you think it will have a plus or minus influence on Japan ’s economy?
| Japan | China | |
| Will have a larger plus influence | 29 | 58 |
| Will have a larger minus influence | 31 | 10 |
| The plus and minus influence will be about the same | 34 | 25 |
| No answer | 6 | 7 |
Q7. What are some issues you currently consider serious within Japan ( China )? Please choose as many as apply:
| Japan | China | |
| Economy/Employment | 82 | 48 |
| Social security | 41 | 37 |
| Disparities such as economic | 38 | 60 |
| Declining birthrate and aging population | 52 | 42 |
| Environmental issues such as global warming | 33 | 43 |
| Food safety | 21 | 39 |
| Deteriorating safety of country | 30 | 27 |
| Other | 1 | 4 |
| Nothing in particular, No answer | 1 | 2 |
Q8. Developed countries such as Japan have set concrete numerical targets for decreasing the emissions from greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which is considered the cause for global warming. Do you think that China should also set a concrete numerical target for emissions or not?
| Japan | China | |
| Should set numerical target | 79 | 65 |
| If I were to choose, should set numerical target | 14 | 26 |
| If I were to choose, does not need to set numerical target | 2 | 4 |
| Does not need to set numerical target | 2 | 2 |
| No answer | 3 | 3 |
Q9. Do you hold expectations or not of China displaying a leadership role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue?
| Japan | China | |
| Hold great expectations | 45 | 44 |
| Somewhat hold expectations | 26 | 32 |
| Do not hold very much expectations | 19 | 16 |
| Hold no expectations | 6 | 3 |
| No answer | 3 | 5 |
Q10. Do you think Japan has walked the path of a peace loving nation since World War II over 60 years ago?
| Japan | China | |
| Agree | 62 | 18 |
| If I were to choose, I agree | 30 | 35 |
| If I were to choose, I disagree | 4 | 19 |
| Disagree | 3 | 25 |
| No answer | 1 | 4 |
Q11. Do you think the Beijing Olympics held in August of last year helped improve or not improve China ’s image?
| Japan | China | |
| Image improved | 22 | 80 |
| If I were to choose, image improved | 28 | 15 |
| If I were to choose, image did not improve | 23 | 4 |
| Image did not improve | 23 | 1 |
| No answer | 4 | 0 |
Q12. Do you have an interest or not in the Shanghai World Expo being held in May of next year?
| Japan | China | |
| Greatly interested | 5 | 43 |
| Somewhat interested | 13 | 38 |
| Not very interested | 36 | 14 |
| Not interested | 45 | 4 |
| No answer | 1 | 1 |
Q13. Which country or region do you think should shoulder the role as Asia ’s leader in the future? Please choose up to two choices from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Japan | 76 | 33 |
| China | 60 | 91 |
| Korea | 14 | 10 |
| Taiwan | 1 | 6 |
| India | 16 | 17 |
| Thailand | 1 | 0 |
| Malaysia | 1 | 2 |
| Indonesia | 1 | 1 |
| Other ASEAN countries (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) besides Thailand,Malaysia, and Indonesia | 2 | 1 |
| Other, None in particular, No answer | 5 | 2 |
Q14. Which country, China ( Japan ) or the United States , do you feel will be more important to Japan ( China ) in the future for “political” matters?
Words in parenthesis were conducted in China only
| Japan | China | |
| China(Japan) | 18 | 4 |
| United States | 52 | 44 |
| Both are important | 28 | 50 |
| No answer | 2 | 2 |
Q15. Which country, China ( Japan ) or the United States , do you feel will be more important to Japan ( China ) in the future for “economic” matters?
Words in parenthesis were conducted in China only
| Japan | China | |
| China(Japan) | 46 | 6 |
| United States | 28 | 52 |
| Both are important | 24 | 41 |
| No answer | 2 | 2 |
Q16. In order to improve Japanese-Chinese relations, which issues should be given priority to resolving? Please choose one answer from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Joint development of the East China Sea gas field | 20 | 20 |
| Problems of copied merchandise and intellectual property rights | 17 | 6 |
| Issues of historical recognition | 35 | 36 |
| Territorial problems such as the Senkaku Islands | 14 | 29 |
| Other | 0 | 3 |
| None/No answer | 13 | 7 |
Q17. What is your perception of China as a country? Please choose as many as apply from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Economically affluent | 16 | 33 |
| High technological skills | 14 | 25 |
| Military expansion | 56 | 43 |
| Strongly promoting Chinese traditions and culture | 24 | 58 |
| Protects natural environments | 3 | 30 |
| Safe country | 2 | 33 |
| Other | 4 | 13 |
| None/No answer | 17 | 2 |
Q18. What is your perception of Japan as a country? Please choose as many as apply from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Economically affluent | 33 | 60 |
| High technological skills | 70 | 60 |
| Military expansion | 3 | 29 |
| Strongly promoting Japanese traditions and culture | 17 | 29 |
| Protects natural environments | 19 | 38 |
| Safe country | 39 | 25 |
| Other | 1 | 5 |
| None/No answer | 5 | 6 |
Q19. What is your impression of Chinese people? Please choose as many as apply from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Diligent | 18 | 73 |
| Generous | 7 | 61 |
| Kind | 3 | 58 |
| Sociable | 4 | 40 |
| Strong sense of patriotism | 59 | 64 |
| Have creativity | 10 | 45 |
| Have clear opinions | 46 | 38 |
| Rational | 13 | 37 |
| Other | 2 | 6 |
| None/No answer | 12 | 1 |
Q20. What is your impression of Japanese people? Please choose as many as apply from the following:
| Japan | China | |
| Diligent | 64 | 43 |
| Generous | 19 | 11 |
| Kind | 36 | 22 |
| Sociable | 9 | 22 |
| Strong sense of patriotism | 9 | 52 |
| Have creativity | 11 | 48 |
| Have clear opinions | 4 | 33 |
| Rational | 14 | 28 |
| Other | 1 | 8 |
| None/No answer | 10 | 10 |
Q21. (Question only to Japanese) From the following list of items that relate to China , please choose as many as you are curious about or interested in:
| Japan | |
| Music, such as popular music | 3 |
| Movies | 7 |
| Entertainers | 3 |
| Home appliances | 6 |
| Chinese cuisine | 34 |
| Fashion | 2 |
| Chinese language | 8 |
| Chinese way of thinking | 15 |
| Culture | 6 |
| History | 34 |
| Famous places/historic sites | 26 |
| Herbal medicine | 29 |
| Healthy practices, such as tai chi chuan | 16 |
| Sports, such as gymnastics and table tennis | 12 |
| Handicrafts, such as embroidery | 7 |
| Traditional culture, such as Beijing opera | 8 |
| Other | 0 |
| None/No answer | 19 |
Q22. (Question only to Chinese) From the following list of items that relate to Japan , please choose as many as you are curious about or interested in:
| China | |
| Television programming | 9 |
| Anime, manga (cartoons) | 32 |
| Music, such as popular music | 6 |
| Movies | 11 |
| Entertainers | 5 |
| Cars/Motorcycles | 43 |
| Home appliances | 53 |
| Culture | 9 |
| Japanese food | 21 |
| Fashion | 14 |
| Japanese-style business management | 18 |
| Japanese language | 11 |
| Japanese way of thinking | 16 |
| Television games and computer games | 16 |
| Sports such as sumo and baseball | 8 |
| Traditional culture, such as Kabuki | 13 |
| Other | 9 |
| None/No answer | 5 |