Survey: 88% proud to be Japanese
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Almost 90 percent of Japanese are proud of their nationality, but more than half are concerned about the government's ability to protect the nation in the future, a recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey found.
The survey of Japanese people's view of their country was conducted on Aug. 6 and 7 of 3,000 randomly chosen eligible voters, of which 1,798, or 59.9 percent, responded.
At the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, many people appear concerned about Japan's current state as a nation and more than 70 percent of respondents despaired over a lack of national strategies and soft diplomacy.
Asked whether they felt proud of being Japanese, 47 percent of the respondents said, "Very much," and 41 percent said, "Relatively," bringing the total of those proud of their nationality to 88 percent.
Those who said they were "willing to contribute to the nation's benefit" accounted for 68 percent, up from 59 percent in surveys conducted in 1986 and 1994.
But asked whether Japan would "be able to protect citizens' lives, properties and the land in the future," only 41 percent said they believed "it could," while 50 percent said they did not, revealing anxiety about the nation's future.
As for Japan's position in the international community, 65 percent of respondents said they were unhappy for Japan "not having obtained the status and respect that it deserves for its national strength."
Many held strong views on Japan's national image in the 60 years since the war. Seventy-four percent said Japan "watches out too much for other countries' opinions," and 71 percent said Japan "lacks clear long-term goals and national strategies."
Asked what they would do if Japan was invaded, 35 percent said they would "flee to somewhere safe" and 35 percent said they would "resist by means other than arms."
Seventeen percent said they would "resist with arms," down from 21 percent and 19 percent, respectively, in the 1980 and 2002 surveys.
The survey also asked what they thought was the best thing the Japan had achieved in the postwar era.
Allowed to choose multiple answers, 72 percent of the respondents identified "a peaceful society without war," much higher than the second and third highest answers of 57 percent for "material wealth" and 49 percent for "individual rights and freedom."
Asked about what the nation had lost, 59 percent chose "people's tendency to not be wasteful," 56 percent chose "moral and public sense" and 45 percent for "respect for parents and seniors."
The fourth highest was 36 percent for "family ties" and fifth was 35 percent for "patriotism."
(Sep. 16, 2005)
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