Social Awareness Poll Marked Record Highest Since 2008

The Japanese people are content with the social environment, on the whole, disclosed the recent public opinion poll on social awareness compiled by the Cabinet Office, April 1.

The data show 65.9% of the responders replied content on the whole - a rise of 3.9 percent over the previous year to mark the highest level of positive response since the start of the survey in 2009.

Broken into items, 43.2 % are content with the better living environment, 27.0% with the upkeep of healthy mind and body, 17.8% with more chance for aspiration and learning, 17.1% with mutual human relations, 15.7% with the favorable environment for work, etc.

The opinion poll was taken in January-February this year with 10,000 surveyees, male and female, over 18 years of age. A total of 5,993 or 59.9% of the surveyees responded. 85.9% or 3.9 points over the previous year responders replied "content" or "rather content" - the highest since the question was first asked in 2009.

Asked in multiple responses about the areas where Japan is heading for the better, medication and welfare topped with 31.4% followed by technology 25.8%, security 22%, etc. Asked of those for the worse, national finance came atop with 37.1%, regional differences 28.5%, etc., and the percentages of defense with 28.2% or a rise of 4.0% over the previous poll.

Those who handpicked diplomacy where Japan is heading for the worse numbered 26.7% or a rise of 8.1% over the previous survey, suggestive of the current North Korean situation and the emergence of a new administration in the United States whose foreign policies leave so much in suspension.

55.9% put national interests above individual benefits to level off in comparison with the previous poll. Asked about the need for generating patriotism, 73.4% responded in affirmative -  a declining trend for six years in a row since 2011 (81.0%). (Nathan Shiga)

Source: Sankei