Asahi Shimbun Regular Public Opinion Poll (10/17/2011)
Dates Conducted
October 15 and 16, 2011
Released
October 17, 2011 (Morning edition of the Asahi Shimbun)
Methodology
The poll was conducted by telephone on October 15 and 16 with voters from across Japan (except a portion of Fukushima), 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 3,158, with 1,867 responses and a 59% 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.
Key Issues
- Prime Minister Noda
- Tax Increase
- Reducing Government Payroll
- Brownout
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 Noda cabinet? (Numbers in the parentheses are the results from the Sept 4 poll)
| Support | 48% (53) |
| Do not support | 26% (18) |
Q2. ◇ Why? Choose one. (The numbers on the left are the reasons from the supporting 48%, on the right from the not-supporting 26%)
| Because Mr. Noda is the Prime Minister | 32%〈15〉 | 1%〈0〉 |
| Because the administration is centered around the DPJ | 17%〈8〉 | 27%〈7〉 |
| Because of the polices | 20%〈9〉 | 30%〈8〉 |
| Because of the ability to get things done | 19%〈9〉 | 38%〈10〉 |
Q3. ◆ Which political party do you currently support? (The numbers in the parentheses are the results from September 4 poll)
| Democratic Party of Japan | 25% (20) |
| Liberal Democratic Party | 17% (17) |
| New Komeito | 2% (3) |
| Japan Communist Party | 1% (2) |
| Social Democratic Party | 1% (0) |
| Your Party | 2% (1) |
| 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 | 45% (49) |
| No answer/Do not know | 5% (8) |
Q4. ◆ What kind of expectations do you have about the performance of Noda’s Prime Ministry? (Choose one)
| High expectation | 14% |
| Some expectation | 48% |
| Little expectation | 28% |
| None at all | 8% |
Q5. ◆ For the restoration of areas affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, the government finalized its proposal on tax increases, focusing on income tax and corporation tax. Do you agree on this plan by the government?
| Agree | 40% |
| Disagree | 49% |
Q6. ◆ Regarding the tax increases for the restoration, a tax of 2 JPY per cigarette is being considered. Do you agree on the tax increase on cigarettes?
| Agree | 63% |
| Disagree | 29% |
Q7. ◆ Aside from the tax increase for the earthquake restoration, the government is planning to raise the consumption tax in stages to 10% by the mid-2010s in order to finance social security. Do you agree on the gradual 10% tax increase on consumption for social security?
| Agree | 45% |
| Disagree | 46% |
Q8. ◆ How do you view the DPJ’s efforts to curtail the futility of public administration so far? (Choose one)
| I acknowledge their efforts | 2% |
| I acknowledge their efforts to some degree | 31% |
| I hardly acknowledge their efforts | 47% |
| I do not acknowledge their efforts at all | 18% |
Q9. ◆ Some people feel that if taxes are going to increase then there should be a precondition that the number of the Diet members and their remunerations should be reduced as well. Do you agree with this this opinion?
| Agree | 91% |
| Disagree | 5% |
Q10. ◆ Some people feel that the payroll of the government officials should be greatly reduced by a premise to a tax increase. Do you agree with this opinion?
| Agree | 75% |
| Disagree | 17% |
Q11. ◆ This question concerns the political fund scandal of Ichiro Ozawa from the Democratic Party. Do you think Mr. Ozawa should have to explain his political fund scandal at the Diet or is it enough for him to explain it in court?
| Diet | 60% |
| Court is enough | 30% |
Q12. ◆ Do you agree on utilizing nuclear power generation?
| Agree | 34% |
| Disagree | 48% |
Q13. ◆ How inconvenienced did you feel by this past summer’s brownout in companies and households? (Choose one)
| Very much | 3% |
| Some | 20% |
| Not much | 51% |
| Not at all | 26% |
Q14. ◆ How determined were you on saving electricity this past summer? (Choose one)
| Very much | 21% |
| To some degree | 62% |
| Not much | 14% |
| Not at all | 3% |
Q15. ◆ Concerning the level of brownout from this past summer, do you consider continuing to save electricity regardless of electricity shortage? Or are you not concerned about electricity conservation?
| I plan on continuing electricity conservation | 86% |
| I plan on living without paying attention to saving electricity | 9% |