Nikkei Shimbun February 2010 Telephone Opinion Poll
Dates Conducted
February 26 – 28, 2010
Methodology
Nationwide poll. See below for age and gender breakdown
Key Issues
- Support for the Hatoyama cabinet
- House of Councillors election
- Ozawa’s political fund scandals
- Relocation of Futenma Air Station
- DPJ policies
Link to Original Source
http://www.nikkei-r.co.jp/phone/results/popup/y201002a.html
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
*Numbers in parentheses are the total number of respondents
Q1. Do you support or not support the Hatoyama cabinet? (N=948)
| Support | 39 |
| Do not support | 46 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 15 |
SQ1. [For those who answered “Cannot say”/”Do not know”] Which of the following is closest to your feelings? (N=141)
| Support | 24 |
| Do not support | 22 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 54 |
[Total (combined) approval rating (N=948)]
| Support | 43 |
| Do not support | 49 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 8 |
SQ2. [For those who answered “Support”] What are the reasons you support the cabinet? Please choose all that apply from the following seven answers: (N=404)
| Because it is a DPJ cabinet | 39 |
| Because it has good policies | 28 |
| Because it is internationally minded | 8 |
| Because it has good leadership | 4 |
| Because it is stable | 3 |
| Because of the trustworthy character of its members | 26 |
| Because it is politically clean | 13 |
| Other | 9 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 4 |
SQ3. [For those who answered “Do not support”] What are the reasons you do not support the cabinet? Please choose all that apply from the following seven answers: (N=467)
| Because it is a DPJ cabinet | 20 |
| Because its policies are bad | 34 |
| Because it is not internationally minded | 17 |
| Because of its lack of leadership | 53 |
| Because it is not stable | 36 |
| Because its members are not trustworthy | 25 |
| Because it is not clean politically | 17 |
| Other | 5 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 3 |
Q2. Which political party do you currently support? Please choose only one. (N=948)
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 34 |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 17 |
| NewKomeito | 4 |
| JapanCommunist Party | 2 |
| Social Democratic Party | 1 |
| The People’s New Party | 0 |
| Your Party | 2 |
| KaikakuClub | 0 |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0 |
| Other political party | 0 |
| Do not favor any political party | 36 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 4 |
SQ1. [For those who answered “Do not support any party” or “Cannot say/Do not know”] If you had to name one, which political party would you favor? (N=377)
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 17 |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 17 |
| NewKomeito | 2 |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3 |
| Social Democratic Party | 0 |
| The People’s New Party | 1 |
| Your Party | 3 |
| KaikakuClub | 0 |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Do not favor any political party | 43 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 14 |
[Support + Preferred Parties (N=948)]
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 41 |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 24 |
| NewKomeito | 5 |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3 |
| Social Democratic Party | 1 |
| The People’s New Party | 1 |
| Your Party | 4 |
| KaikakuClub | 0 |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Do not favor any political party | 17 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 5 |
Q3. Although it appears that the national and prefectural debt will be the largest ever, Prime Minster Hatoyama has stated “the consumption tax will not be raised in four years.” What are you thoughts on the prime minster’s statement? (N=948)
| For | 50 |
| Against | 37 |
| Neither | 9 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 5 |
Q4. In regards to a controversial land purchase made by DPJ Secretary Ichiro Ozawa’s fund management group, the opposition parties are seeking to summon Mr. Ozawa and other persons of interest and witnesses. How do you believe Mr. Ozawa should handle this issue? (N=948)
| Should comply with request to summon persons of interest or witnesses | 83 |
| Not necessary to comply with the request to summon persons of interest or witnesses | 11 |
| Neither | 2 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 4 |
Q5. When you cast your vote this summer for the House of Councillors election, will you take into consideration Prime Minister Hatoyama and DPJ Secretary General Ozawa’s political fund scandals? (N=948)
| Will take into consideration | 57 |
| Will not take into consideration | 35 |
| Neither | 3 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 6 |
Q6. The government aims to make a decision on the relocation of the U.S. Futenma Air Station by the end of May and is hurrying its examination of the issue. How do you believe the government should handle this issue? (N=948)
| Should relocate elsewhere withinOkinawa | 17 |
| Should relocate withinJapan, but outsideOkinawa | 12 |
| Should relocate outside ofJapan | 31 |
| No need to relocate fromFutenma | 19 |
| Neither | 7 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 14 |
Q7. Finance Minister Nato Kan has said that discussions on tax reform, including consumption tax, will begin. Do you approve or not approve of this? (N=948)
| Approve | 62 |
| Do not approve | 25 |
| Neither | 3 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 11 |
Q8. It is said that if the main policies outlined in the DPJ manifesto during the House of Representatives election were implemented, there would be insufficient funds to finance them. From the following choices, please pick the policies that you think should be reexamined. (N=948)
| Abolishment of highway tolls | 52 |
| Abolishment of provisional taxes such as the gasoline tax | 27 |
| Child allowance payments | 36 |
| Free high school tuition | 33 |
| Door-to-door compensation for farmers | 18 |
| Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 compared with 1990 levels | 17 |
| Not necessary to reexamine any policies | 2 |
| Other | 1 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 8 |
Q9. In this summer’s House of Councillors election which party or which candidate’s party will you vote for? Please choose one from the following: (N=948)
| Democratic Party ofJapan | 33 |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 20 |
| NewKomeito | 5 |
| JapanCommunist Party | 3 |
| Social Democratic Party | 1 |
| The People’s New Party | 1 |
| Your Party | 6 |
| KaikakuClub | 0 |
| The New Party ofJapan | 0 |
| Other political party | 1 |
| Have not decided yet | 20 |
| Will not vote | 1 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 11 |
Q10. In the future, which politician would you like to see demonstrate greater influence over Japanese politics? Please choose one from the following: (N=948)
| YukioHatoyama | 9 |
| KatsuyaOkada | 8 |
| Ichiro Ozawa | 2 |
| NaotoKan | 8 |
| SeijiMaehara | 12 |
| AkiraNagatsuma | 4 |
| SadakazuTanigaki | 4 |
| ShigeruIshiba | 6 |
| NobuteruIshihara | 4 |
| YoichiMasuzoe | 21 |
| Other | 4 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 18 |
Q11. What is the most desirable form of administration? (N-=948)
| Administration centered on the DPJ | 18 |
| DPJ only administration | 14 |
| Administration centered on the LDP | 11 |
| LDP only administration | 5 |
| A grand coalition that includes the DPJ and LDP | 34 |
| Other | 4 |
| Cannot say/Do not know | 14 |
Polling Information
F1. Gender (Determined by the polltaker) (N=948)
| Male | 45 |
| Female | 55 |
| Unknown | 0 |
F2. How old are you? (N=948)
| 20s | 4 |
| 30s | 15 |
| 40s | 17 |
| 50s | 18 |
| 60s | 23 |
| 70 years old or older | 20 |
| Refused to answer | 3 |
Average Age: 55.4 years
F3. What is your occupation? (N=948)
| Agriculture, forestry and fisheries | 4 |
| Employee (company or governmental employee, teacher, etc.) | 41 |
| Self-owned business, self-employed (including a homemaker) | 10 |
| Full-time housewife (without job only) | 20 |
| Student | 2 |
| Unemployed | 21 |
| Refused to answer | 3 |