(Asahi: December 22, 2015 – p. 4)
Questions & answers (%)
Figures rounded off. Some questions and answers have been omitted. All questions were asked of all respondents except for those questions indented and marked with a bullet, which are subquestions. The figures given for subquestions are percentages of the respondents in the given category. Bracketed figures denote proportions to all respondents. Parenthesized figures denote the results of the previous survey taken Nov. 7–8.
Q: Do you support the Abe cabinet?
|
Yes |
38 |
(40) |
|
No |
40 |
(41) |
· Q: Why or why not? (One reason only. Left column for the 38% who answered “yes” on previous question, and right for the 40% who said “no.”)
|
The prime minister is Mr. Abe |
15[6] |
7[3] |
|
It’s a Liberal Democratic Party-led cabinet |
24[9] |
21[8] |
|
Policies |
37[14] |
65[26] |
|
No particular reason |
20[8] |
5[2] |
· Q: (Only for the 38% who answered “yes” to the foregoing question) Do you think you will continue to support the Abe cabinet, or do you think you will not necessarily continue to do so?
|
Continue to support the Abe cabinet |
45[17] |
|
|
Not necessarily continue to support the Abe cabinet |
52[20] |
|
· Q: (Only for the 40% who answered “no” to the foregoing question) Do you think you will continue to not support the Abe cabinet, or do you think you may support the Abe cabinet in the future?
|
Continue not to support the Abe cabinet |
62[25] |
|
|
May support the Abe cabinet in the future |
33[13] |
|
Q: Which political party do you support now? Please answer by giving the name of the party.
|
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) |
33 |
(34) |
|
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) |
8 |
(7) |
|
Komeito (K or Komeito) |
3 |
(4) |
|
Japanese Communist Party (JCP or Kyosanto) |
3 |
(3) |
|
Japan Innovation Party (JIP or Nippon Ishinnoto) |
1 |
(1) |
|
Osaka Ishinnokai |
1 |
(2) |
|
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) |
0 |
(0) |
|
People’s Life Party (PLP or Seikatsunoto) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Assembly to Energize Japan (AEJ or Nippon o Genkinisurukai) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Party for Future Generations (PFG or Jisedainoto) |
0 |
(0) |
|
New Renaissance Party (NRP or Shinto Kaikaku) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Other political parties |
0 |
(1) |
|
None of the above (NOTA) |
42 |
(41) |
|
No answer (N/A) + don’t know (D/K) |
9 |
(7) |
Q: Do you think that the opposition parties should cooperate together and present joint candidates in order to contend against the LDP and Komeito in the Upper House elections next summer?
|
Yes |
42 |
|
|
No |
33 |
|
Q: Do you approve of raising the consumption tax to 10% in April 2017?
|
Yes |
35 |
(31) |
|
No |
56 |
(60) |
Q: This question concerns the scope of application of the reduced consumption tax rates. The LDP and Komeito have decided to keep the consumption tax rate at 8% for food in general, excluding alcoholic beverages and eating out, and newspapers when the consumption tax is raised to 10%. Do you approve of this?
|
Yes |
39 |
|
|
No |
47 |
|
Q: The tax relief on food decided by the ruling parties will mean a loss of 1 trillion yen in tax revenues. The ruling parties have postponed discussion of how to make provisions for this until after next summer’s Upper House elections. Do you approve of this?
|
Yes |
15 |
|
|
No |
68 |
|
Q: The Abe administration has decided to disburse lump-sum payments of 30,000 yen to 12.5 million low-income senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Do you approve of this?
|
Yes |
34 |
|
|
No |
54 |
|
Q: Next fiscal year, the Abe administration plans to abolish child-rearing benefits that have been given out since fiscal 2014 to reduce the burden on households raising children. Do you approve of this?
|
Yes |
20 |
|
|
No |
70 |
|
Q: This question concerns terrorism. The extremist Islamic State group has carried out terrorist attacks in Paris. How concerned are you that the same kind of attacks could happen in Japan in the future?
|
Very concerned |
29 |
|
|
Somewhat concerned |
56 |
|
|
Not very concerned |
12 |
|
|
Not concerned at all |
2 |
|
Q: To confront the Islamic State, various countries led by America are increasing airstrikes on IS-controlled regions. Do you think that airstrikes will lead to the suppression of terrorism?
|
Yes |
32 |
|
|
No |
54 |
|
Q: More and more people are fleeing to Europe and other areas as refugees with the turmoil in the Middle East. At present, Japan accepts virtually no refugees. Do you think Japan should actively accept refugees?
|
Yes |
24 |
|
|
No |
58 |
|
Q: This question concerns separate surnames for married couples. Do you approve of amending the law so married couples can freely choose whether to use the same or different surnames?
|
Yes |
49 |
(52) |
|
No |
40 |
(34) |
Q: The Supreme Court has ruled that the Civil Code provision requiring that married couples use the same surname is not in violation of the constitution. Do you approve of this ruling?
|
Yes |
58 |
|
|
No |
28 |
|
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 19–20 over the telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. Respondents were chosen from among the nation’s voting population on a three-stage random-sampling basis (excluding some districts in Fukushima Prefecture). Households with one or more eligible voters totaled 3,661. Valid answers were obtained from 1,842 persons (50%).
