(Asahi: February 16, 2016 – 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 are the results of the previous survey taken Jan. 16–17.
Q: Do you support the Abe cabinet?
|
Yes |
40 |
(42) |
|
No |
38 |
(38) |
- Q: Why or why not? (Pick one reason only. Left column for the 40% who answered “yes” to the previous question, and right column for the 38% who said “no.”)
|
The prime minister is Mr. Abe |
16[6] |
8[3] |
|
It’s a Liberal Democratic Party-led cabinet |
20[8] |
23[9] |
|
Policies |
42[17] |
58[22] |
|
No particular reason |
18[7] |
10[4] |
- Q: (Only for the 40% 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 |
47[19] |
|
|
Not necessarily continue to support the Abe cabinet |
51[20] |
|
- Q: (Only for the 38% 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 to not support the Abe cabinet |
63[24] |
|
|
May support the Abe cabinet in the future |
30[11] |
|
Q: Which political party do you support now? Please answer by giving the name of the party.
|
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) |
34 |
(36) |
|
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) |
8 |
(8) |
|
Komeito (K or Komeito) |
3 |
(3) |
|
Japanese Communist Party (JCP or Kyosanto) |
3 |
(4) |
|
Japan Innovation Party (JIP or Nippon Ishinnoto) |
1 |
(1) |
|
Initiatives from Osaka (Osaka Ishin no Kai) |
2 |
(2) |
|
Kaikaku Kesshu no Kai (Assembly of Reform) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) |
1 |
(1) |
|
People’s Life Party (PLP or Seikatsunoto) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Assembly to Energize Japan (AEJ or Nippon o Genkinisurukai) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Party for Japanese Kokoro (Nihon no Kokoro wo Taisetsu ni Suru To) |
0 |
(0) |
|
New Renaissance Party (NRP or Shinto Kaikaku) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Other political parties |
0 |
(0) |
|
None of the above (NOTA) |
39 |
(36) |
|
No answer (N/A) + Don’t know (D/K) |
9 |
(9) |
Q: Upper House elections will be held this summer. If you were to cast your vote now, which political party or which political party’s candidate would you vote for in the proportional representation portion? (Pick one party only.)
|
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) |
37 |
(39) |
|
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) |
16 |
(14) |
|
Komeito (K or Komeito) |
5 |
(4) |
|
Japanese Communist Party (JCP or Kyosanto) |
7 |
(8) |
|
Japan Innovation Party (JIP or Nippon Ishinnoto) |
2 |
(2) |
|
Initiatives from Osaka (Osaka Ishin no Kai) |
6 |
(6) |
|
Kaikaku Kesshu no Kai (Assembly of Reform) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) |
1 |
(1) |
|
People’s Life Party (PLP or Seikatsunoto) |
1 |
(0) |
|
Assembly to Energize Japan (AEJ or Nippon o Genkinisurukai) |
0 |
(0) |
|
0 |
(0) |
|
|
New Renaissance Party (NRP or Shinto Kaikaku) |
0 |
(0) |
|
Other political parties |
1 |
(2) |
|
No answer (N/A) + Don’t know (D/K) |
24 |
(24) |
Q: Do you think that the Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Innovation Party should each disband and create a new party together or that they should stay as they are?
|
They should create a new party together |
22 |
|
|
They should stay as they are |
49 |
|
Q: Akira Amari, former minister in charge of economic revitalization, resigned as a member of the cabinet amid allegations that he and his secretaries had accepted cash from a construction company. Do you think it makes sense that Amari resigned or that it was not necessary for him to resign?
|
It makes sense that Amari resigned |
62 |
|
|
It was not necessary for him to resign |
27 |
|
Q: Do you think that the image of the Abe cabinet has improved, worsened, or remains unchanged with the Amari scandal?
|
Improved |
1 |
|
|
Worsened |
33 |
|
|
Remains unchanged |
61 |
|
· Q: (Only for the 61% who answered “remains unchanged” to the foregoing question) Why?
|
Because PM Abe appropriately handled the matter |
12[7] |
|
|
Because the matter was unrelated to the Abe cabinet’s policies |
45[27] |
|
|
Because I did not approve of the Abe cabinet from before |
24[14] |
|
|
Because I am not interested |
13[8] |
|
Q: Kensuke Miyazaki, the LDP Lower House member who intended to take paternity leave [a first for a male MP in Japan], has announced his resignation as parliamentarian over an extramarital affair. Do you think that it makes sense that he resigned or that it was not necessary for him to resign?
|
It makes sense that Miyazaki resigned |
79 |
|
|
It was not necessary for him to resign |
13 |
|
Q: Do you think the Japanese economy can be expected to grow under PM Abe’s economic policies?
|
Yes |
32 |
|
|
No |
49 |
|
Q: With an eye to increasing financial institutions’ lending to companies, the Bank of Japan has announced a “negative interest rate policy” for the first time ever. Do you think economic recovery can be expected under this policy?
|
Yes |
13 |
|
|
No |
61 |
|
Q: Do you approve of restarting nuclear power plants whose operation is currently suspended?
|
Yes |
31 |
|
|
No |
54 |
|
Q: Do you think that interest in the victims of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident is gradually fading or lessening?
|
Yes |
70 |
|
|
No |
24 |
|
Q: North Korea launched what was effectively a long-range ballistic missile on Feb. 7. Do you approve of the way the Abe cabinet handled the matter?
|
Yes |
54 |
|
|
No |
24 |
|
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Feb. 13–14 over the telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. Respondents were chosen from among the nation’s voting population (excluding some districts in Fukushima Prefecture). Households with one or more eligible voters totaled 3,909. Valid answers were obtained from 1,943 persons (50%).
