Questions & answers (%)
Q: Did you know that the Pacific War started when Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in the United States in December 1941?
|
Yes |
86 |
|
No |
13 |
|
No answer (N/A) |
0 |
Q: Starting from Murayama Tomiichi, Japanese prime ministers have touched on Japan’s aggression against Asian countries and expressed remorse at the annual Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead held on Aug. 15. Abe Shinzo, however, did not make such references during his tenure as prime minister from 2012 through last year. Do you think Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide should make such references at this year’s ceremony?
|
Yes, he should |
47 |
|
No, it is not necessary |
49 |
|
N/A |
4 |
Q: Do you think Japan is likely to go to war in the future?
|
Very likely |
4 |
|
Somewhat likely |
37 |
|
Not very likely |
41 |
|
Not likely at all |
17 |
|
N/A |
1 |
- Q: (Only for those who responded “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to the preceding main question) What is the main reason you gave that answer? (No. of respondents: 775)
|
Because Japan will be dragged in if a contingency were to arise between the U.S. and China with the heightening of the confrontation between those two countries |
60 |
|
Because Japan has become able to exercise the right to collective self-defense under the new security legislation |
16 |
|
Because there is a chance that Japan will be dragged into a conflict amid peacekeeping operations (PKO) |
9 |
|
Because more and more Japanese do not know about the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War |
8 |
|
Other answers (O/A) |
7 |
|
N/A |
0 |
- Q: (Only for those who responded “not very likely” or “not likely at all” to the preceding main question) What is the main reason you gave that answer? (No. of respondents: 1,092)
|
Because Japan has Article 9 in its Constitution, in which Japan renounces war and vows to never again maintain war potential |
55 |
|
Because the U.S. military will protect Japan under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty |
6 |
|
Because Japan has exceptional diplomatic skill |
4 |
|
Because those who have experienced war or the atomic bombings have spoken out about the tragedy of war |
26 |
|
O/A |
7 |
|
N/A |
2 |
Q: Japan abolished its military because it lost World War II, but it later created the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). How do you think the SDF should be handled going forward?
|
The SDF must maintain their “exclusively defense” posture in line with the principle of pacifism in the Constitution |
74 |
|
Article 9 should be revised and the SDF designated as a “military” |
21 |
|
O/A |
3 |
|
N/A |
2 |
Q: The world continues to be plagued by war, civil war, and oppression, turning many people into refugees. Japan granted refugee status to 47 foreigners in 2020. Some major nations accept over 10,000 foreigners as refugees [annually]. How do you think Japan should handle refugees?
|
Japan should accept more refugees |
35 |
|
There is no need to change Japan’s current policy on accepting refugees |
52 |
|
The conditions for being granted refugee status should be tightened further |
8 |
|
N/A |
5 |
Q: As a result of the Pacific War, there are many U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Prefectural Governor Tamaki Denny is opposed to relocating the U.S. military’s Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture) to the Henoko district of Nago City. The government is moving forward with land reclamation work with an eye to completing the relocation. Do you support the government’s position?
|
Yes |
38 |
|
No |
57 |
|
N/A |
4 |
- Q: (Only for those who responded “no” to the preceding main question) How do you think the Futenma Air Station should be handled? (No. of respondents: 1,079)
|
It should be relocated within Okinawa to a place other than Henoko |
7 |
|
It should be relocated within Japan to a prefecture other than Okinawa |
17 |
|
It should be relocated outside Japan |
29 |
|
The relocation construction should be halted and Futenma closed |
22 |
|
Futenma should continue to be used |
24 |
|
N/A |
1 |
Q: Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Pacific War. Nuclear weapons still exist today and some countries are moving forward with nuclear development programs. Do you think that nuclear weapons are likely to be used in war in the future?
|
Very likely |
16 |
|
Somewhat likely |
50 |
|
Not very likely |
25 |
|
Not likely at all |
4 |
|
N/A |
4 |
Q: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which comprehensively prohibits the development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons, entered into force in January this year. The United States and some other nations that possess nuclear weapons are opposed to the treaty, and Japan has not joined it. Do you think Japan should join the treaty?
|
Yes |
71 |
|
No |
27 |
|
N/A |
3 |
Note: Figures have been rounded and so may not tally to 100.
Polling methodology: A total of 3,000 men and women aged 18 or over were randomly selected nationwide from 250 locations on a stratified two-stage random-sampling basis to create a cross-section of Japan’s slightly more than 100 million voters. On June 16, 2021, questionnaires were sent out by postal mail, and 1,952 completed questionnaires had been returned as of July 26. Valid responses were received from 1,889 people, excluding questionnaires completed improperly or by persons other than the intended voter. The valid response rate was 63.0%. The makeup of the polling sample was as follows: male, 50.4%; female, 49.6%. Sections of Fukushima Prefecture heavily impacted by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake were excluded from the survey pool.
Nihon Yoron Chosakai is a nationwide public opinion polling entity managed by Kyodo News and comprising 38 of its subscribers including the Tokyo Shimbun.
(Abridged)
