Asahi Shimbun June 2010 Public Opinion Poll – First in a Series on the House of Councillors Election
Dates Conducted
June 12 and 13, 2010
Date Released
June 14, 2010 (Morning edition of the Asahi Shimbun)
Methodology
The poll was conducted by telephone on June 12 and 13 with voters from across Japan , whose telephone numbers were selected by a computer at random. Subjects were selected using a three-stage random sampling method (the Asahi RDD). The total number of those polled was 1,670, with 1,027 responses and a 61% response rate. Decimals were rounded up. The numbers in ( ) are the results from a poll conducted on June 8 and 9, 2010 unless otherwise indicated.
Key Issues
- Support for the Kan Cabinet
- House of Councillors election
Disclaimer
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Asahi Shimbun poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use.
Survey
Q1. Do you support or not support the Kan cabinet?
| Support | 59% (60) |
| Do not support | 23% (20) |
Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please choose one from the following:
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 40% (38) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 12% (14) |
| NewKomeito | 3% (4) |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3% (1) |
| Social Democratic Party | 1%(2) |
| Your Party | 2% (2) |
| The People’s New Party | 0%(0) |
| SunriseParty ofJapan | 0% (0) |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0%(0) |
| New Renaissance Party | 0% (0) |
| The Happiness Realization Party | 0% (0) |
| Other party | 0%(0) |
| Do not support any party | 30% (32) |
| No answer/Do not know | 9%(7) |
Q3. A general election will be held for the House of Councillors soon. To what extent are you interested in this election? Please select one from the following four choices:
| Very interested | 37% (34) |
| Somewhat interested | 44% (47) |
| Not very interested | 16% (16) |
| Not at all interested | 3% (3) |
Q4. If the general election were being held today, which party in the proportional-representation district and/or which party’s candidate would you vote for? Please respond with the name of the party.
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 43% (39) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 14% (13) |
| NewKomeito | 4% (5) |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3% (2) |
| Social Democratic Party | 1% (3) |
| Your Party | 4% (5) |
| The People’s New Party | 0% (0) |
| SunriseParty ofJapan | 0% (0) |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0% (0) |
| New Renaissance Party | 0% (0) |
| The Happiness Realization Party | 0% (0) |
| Other party | 0% (1) |
| No answer/Do not know | 31% (32) |
Q5. To what extent do you hold expectations in Prime Minister Kan ? Please choose one from the following:
| High expectations | 17% |
| Somewhat high expectations | 51% |
| Somewhat low expectations | 25% |
| No expectations | 7% |
Q6. In the upcoming House of Councillors election, do you think it is better for the result to reflect the Democratic Party gaining a majority of parliamentary seats or not gaining a majority? [The numbers in ( ) are the results from a poll conducted on April 17 and 18, 2010.]
| Better for the DPJ to gain a majority of seats | 44% (23) |
| Better for the DPJ to not gain a majority of seats | 44% (65) |
Q7. As a result of the House of Councillors general election, which political party would you like to see expand their number of parliamentary seats?
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 40% (18) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 17% (23) |
| NewKomeito | 4% (4) |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3% (3) |
| Social Democratic Party | 3% (3) |
| Your Party | 7% (14) |
| The People’s New Party | 0% (1) |
| SunriseParty ofJapan | 0% (1) |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0% (0) |
| New Renaissance Party | 0% (1) |
| The Happiness Realization Party | 0% |
| Other party | 0% (0) |
| No answer/Do not know | 26% (32) |
Q8. Do you hope an administration centered around the DPJ will continue or not?
| Hope administration centered around DPJ will continue | 49 (41) |
| Hope administration will not continue to be centered around DPJ | 36 (34) |
Q9. When you cast your vote for the House of Councillors election, will you take into serious consideration the politics and money issue in your decision making?
| Will take into serious consideration | 56% |
| Will not take into serious consideration | 38% |
Q10. We will ask you about the child allowance of 13,000 yen per month that will begin this year. In last year’s House of Representatives election, the DPJ promised in their manifesto child allowance payments of 26,000 yen per year, however Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare [Akira] Nagatsuma has stated, “it will be difficult to secure funding,” indicating that full monthly payments won’t be provided. Are you for or against the full monthly child allowance payments not being provided?
| For | 72% |
| Against | 21% |
Q11. Do you think the policies put forth by the DPJ in their manifesto should without exception be implemented or should they be flexible and review the policies?
| Without exception should implement | 15% (17) |
| Be flexible and review | 77% (74) |
Q12. Are you for or against raising the consumption tax?
| For | 49% |
| Against | 44% |
Q13. When you cast your vote for the House of Councillors election, will you take into serious consideration each party’s stance on the consumption tax hike?
| Will take into serious consideration | 63% |
| Will not take into serious consideration | 30% |