Asahi Shimbun Regular Public Opinion Poll (4/18/2011)
Dates Conducted
April 16 and 17, 2011
Released
April 18, 2011 (Morning edition of the Asahi Shimbun)
Methodology
The poll was conducted by telephone on April 16 and 17 with voters from across Japan (except Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, which were affected by the March 11 Tohoku earthquake), 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 3,352, with 1,999 responses and a 60% response rate. Decimals were rounded up. The questions with ◆ marks are questions for everyone. The questions with ◇ are branching questions, and the numbers with them are the ratio to the participants who answered the questions. The numbers in 〈 〉 are the ratio to the whole. Unless otherwise noted, the numbers in ( ) are the results from a poll conducted on February 19 and 20, 2011.
Key Issues
- Support for the Kan cabinet
- Evaluation of Kan cabinet’s response to the March 11 Tohoku earthquake
- Future policy for nuclear power plants
Disclaimer
The Mansfield Foundation is responsible for the translation of this Asahi Shimbun poll, subject to the Mansfield Foundation Terms of Use
Q1. Do you support or not support the Kan cabinet? ◆
| Support | 21% (20) |
| Do not support | 60% (62) |
Q2. Why? The left column is out of the 21% who support the Kan cabinet, while the right column is out of the 60% who do not support. ◇
| Because the Prime Minister is Mr. Kan | 21%〈4〉 | 5%〈3〉 |
| Because the administration is centered around the DPJ | 35%〈7〉 | 8%〈5〉 |
| Because of the polices | 14%〈3〉 | 20%〈12〉 |
| Because of the ability to get things done | 10%〈2〉 | 65%〈38〉 |
Q3. Which political party do you currently support? ◆
| Democratic Party of Japan | 17% (19) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 19% (18) |
| New Komeito | 3% (3) |
| Japan Communist Party | 2% (2) |
| Social Democratic Party | 1% (1) |
| Your Party | 1% (2) |
| The People’s New Party | 0% (0) |
| The Sunrise Party of Japan | 0% (0) |
| The New Party Nippon | 0% (0) |
| New Renaissance Party | 0% (0) |
| Other party | 0% (0) |
| Do not support any party | 49% (50) |
| No answer/Do not know | 8% (5) |
Q4. If the general election were being held today, which party do you think you would vote for in the proportional representation section? ◆
| Democratic Party of Japan | 18% (19) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 30% (25) |
| New Komeito | 4% (5) |
| Japan Communist Party | 3% (3) |
| Social Democratic Party | 1% (1) |
| Your Party | 5% (6) |
| The People’s New Party | 0% (0) |
| The Sunrise Party of Japan | 0%(0) |
| The New Party Nippon | 0% (0) |
| New Renaissance Party | 0% (0) |
| Other party | 1% (1) |
| No answer/Do not know | 38% (40) |
Q5. Do you want Mr. Kan to continue to be the Prime Minister? Or want him to resign? ◆
| Want him to continue to be the Prime Minister | 36% (30) |
| Want him to resign | 43% (49) |
Q6. Do you appreciate the response of the Kan cabinet to the March 11 Tohoku earthquake? ◆
| Yes | 22% |
| No | 60% |
Q7. Do you appreciate the response of the Kan cabinet to the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant? ◆
| Yes | 16% |
| No | 67% |
Q8. Do you agree or disagree with the idea that DPJ and LDP form a grand coalition regime? ◆
| Agree | 43% |
| Disagree | 37% |
Q9. Do you agree or disagree with the idea of increasing taxes to fund earthquake disaster reconstruction? ◆
| Agree | 59% |
| Disagree | 31% |
Q10. Which do you think would be a better source for the bulk of earthquake disaster reconstruction funding: tax increases or government bonds? ◆
| Tax increases | 48% |
| Government bonds | 25% |
Q11. We will ask you about the accident in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. To what extent do you feel anxiety about the accident? (Please choose one) ◆
| High anxiety | 56% |
| Some anxiety | 33% |
| Not much anxiety | 9% |
| No anxiety | 2% |
Q12. To what extent do you feel anxiety about the similar catastrophic accident at other nuclear power plants? (Please choose one) ◆
| High anxiety | 50% |
| Some anxiety | 38% |
| Not much anxiety | 10% |
| No anxiety | 1% |
Q13. Do you think the government’s dissemination of information about the accident in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was appropriate? ◆
| Appropriate | 16% |
| Not appropriate | 73% |
Q14. Do you agree or not agree with utilizing nuclear power generation? ◆
| Agree | 50% |
| Do not agree | 32% |
Q15. What should be the future of Japan’s nuclear power generation? (Please choose one) ◆
| Nuclear power generation should be increased | 5% |
| Nuclear power generation should continue as it is | 51% |
| Nuclear power generation should be decreased | 30% |
| Nuclear power generation should end | 11% |