Center, presented findings from the 2016 survey of Japanese public opinion about Japan’s place in the world. The Japanese are downbeat about their economy but supportive of Prime Minister Abe’s handling of the economy and relations with other countries. They are quite open to helping other nations, including developing countries, but sense that their American ally is in decline and yet are wary of taking on more military responsibilities in the region themselves.

1. Japanese Back Global
Engagement Despite Concern
About Domestic Economy
Bruce Stokes
Director, Global Economic Attitudes
@BruceStokes JIAA, Tokyo, November 1, 2016

2. December 16, 2016 2
Pew Research Center
• Established 1996
• Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, foundations
• Non-profit, non-partisan fact tank in Washington
• Since 2002, we have surveyed in 93 countries
• www.pewresearch.org
www.pewresearch.org

3. December 16, 2016 3www.pewresearch.org
Methodology
• Survey conducted from April 26 to May 29, 2016, among 1,000
respondents
• Based on nationally representative telephone interviews with adults 18
and older.
• The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is
±4.1%

4. HOW THE JAPANESE SEE THE ECONOMY, THE DIRECTION OF
THE COUNTRY AND PRIME MINISTER ABE’S LEADERSHIP
Sept. 18, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 4

5. December 16, 2016 5www.pewresearch.org
Japanese Unhappy With the Economy, But Increasingly
Satisfied with the Direction of the Country
Current state
of economy is
good
Satisfied with
the country’s
direction
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
22
47
28 30
0
80 %
2007 2016

6. December 16, 2016 6www.pewresearch.org
Those Japanese With More Than a Secondary Education
More Satisfied With the Direction of the Country
Satisfied Dissatisfied DK/Refused
% % %
TOTAL 47 45 9
Men 49 43 8
Women 44 46 9
18-34 57 41 2
35-49 45 48 7
50+ 44 44 12
Secondary education or less 41 48 11
Some college or more 57 39 4
% who are __ with the way things are going in our country today
Note: Statistically significant differences in bold and red.
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

7. Japanese Generally Supportive of Prime Minister Abe’s
Handling of the Economy and of Other Countries
December 16, 2016 7www.pewresearch.org
39%
18
34
40
52%
74
54
46
ApproveDisapprove
Do you __ of the way Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is handling …
The economy
Relations with China
Relations with South
Korea
Relations with
the United States
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

8. Note: Statistically significant differences in bold and red.
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
December 16, 2016 8www.pewresearch.org
Few Demographic Differences in Approval of
Abe’s Handling of Key Issues
The economy
Relations with
U.S.
Relations with
South Korea
Relations with
China
% % % %
TOTAL 52 74 54 46
Men 58 81 57 52
Women 46 68 52 40
18-34 58 75 53 44
35-49 58 79 59 55
50+ 47 71 52 42
Secondary education or less 50 76 50 42
Some college or more 55 72 62 53
Approve of the way Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is handling …

9. THE JAPANESE VIEW OF THE WORLD AND JAPAN’S ROLE
Sept. 18, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 9

10. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 10
__ is a major threat to Japan
71%
69
68
63
59
52
39
33
U.S. power and influence
Cyberattacks from other
countries
Tensions with Russia
Global climate change
ISIS
Large number of refugees
leaving Iraq/Syria
Global economic instability
China’s emergence as a
world power
Japanese Most Concerned About Cybersecurity,
ISIS and Climate Change
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

11. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 11
63 61
50
59
66
85
72
69
66 68
72
35 36 48 37
32
14
27 29 30 29
23
0
100
Unfavorable
Favorable
%
Views of the U.S.
Japanese Remain Positive On the U.S.
20162006
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

12. December 16, 2016 12www.pewresearch.org
But Japanese See U.S. as Less Important
and a Major Threat
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
72%Favorable view of U.S.
61
52
U.S. power and influence
is a major threat
U.S. plays a less
important role in the
world than 10 years ago

13. Japanese Also More Likely Than Chinese to Say U.S. Role on
World Stage Has Declined
December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 13
Do you think the U.S. plays a more important and powerful role as a world leader today compared to 10
years ago, a less important role or about as important a role as a world leader as it did 10 years ago?
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
7%
35
29%
16
61%
39
Japan
China
Less
important
More
important
As
important

14. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 14
27 29
14
26 26
34
15
5 7 9 11
71
67
84
69 69
61
84
93 91 89
86
0
100
Unfavorable
Favorable
%
Views of China
Japanese Remain Quite Negative On China
20162006
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

15. December 16, 2016 15www.pewresearch.org
45%
46
47%
45
Having a strong
economic relationship
with China
Being tough with China
on territorial disputes
between China and Japan
Which is more important?
Japanese Split on Embracing or Confronting China
2015
2016
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

16. Japanese Far Less Likely Than Chinese to Say Their Own Country
Plays a More Important Role in the World
December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 16
Do you think our country plays a more important role in the world today compared to 10 years ago, a
less important role or about as important a role in the world as it did 10 years ago?
Note: In U.S., question asked whether U.S. plays “a more important and powerful role as a world leader.”
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. U.S. data from a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 12-19, 2016.
24%
21
75
39%
31
10
34%
46
10
Japan
U.S.
China
Less
important
More
important
As
important

17. December 16, 2016 17www.pewresearch.org
23%
32
49
60%
58
44
A good thing because it provides new
markets and opportunities for growth
A bad thing because it lowers wages
and costs jobs
Our country’s involvement in the global economy is …
Majority of Japanese Say Global Economic Engagement is Good
for Japan, a View Comparable to That in China, More Than in U.S.
China
Japan
U.S.
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. U.S. data from a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 12-19, 2016.

18. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 18
% who believe involvement in the global economy is a good thing because it provides opportunities
58%
52
67
Total
Secondary education or less
Some college or more
Those With More Than a Secondary Education Are More
Supportive of Global Economic Engagement
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

19. December 16, 2016 19www.pewresearch.org
35%
57
56
59%
37
22
Help other countries deal with their
problems
Deal with its own problems and let other
countries deal with theirs
Our country should …
Japanese More Willing to Help Others than Americans, Chinese
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. U.S. data from a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 12-19, 2016.
China
Japan
U.S.

20. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 20
% who believe Japan should help other countries deal with their problems
59%
64
55
60
62
57
56
64
Total
Male
Female
18-34
35-49
50+
Secondary education or less
Some college or more
Men, Japanese With More Than a Secondary Education More
Supportive of Helping Other Countries
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
Note: Statistically significant differences in bold and red.

21. December 16, 2016 21www.pewresearch.org
19%
20
27
73%
71
66
SupportOppose
% who …
In Particular, Japanese Back Measures
to Help Developing Countries
Increasing foreign aid to
developing countries
Importing more goods from
developing countries
Increasing Japanese
companies’ investment in
developing countries
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

22. Nevertheless, Japanese Have Narrow Definition of National
Identity: To Be Japanese, People Should Speak Japanese, Be Born
in Japan, Share Japanese Customs and Traditions
December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 22
70%
50
43
22%
27
47
5%
14
8
8
Very important Somewhat important
Not very important Not at all important
How important to do you think __ is for being truly Japanese?
Being able to
speak Japanese
Having been born
in Japan
Sharing Japanese
customs and
traditions
2%
1
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

23. December 16, 2016 23www.pewresearch.org
62%
68
29%
23
Play a more active
military role
Limit its
military role
Japan should __ in the Asia-Pacific region
Slight Increase in Japanese Support for a
More Active Military Role in the Region
2015
2016
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

24. December 16, 2016 24www.pewresearch.org
14% 79%
Relying too much on force
creates hatred, more terrorism
Overwhelming force is
the best way to defeat
terrorism
Which statement comes closer to your own views?
But Japanese Oppose Too Much Reliance
on Military to Defeat Terrorism
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.

25. Keep the same
52%
Increase
29%
Decrease
14%
December 16, 2016 25www.pewresearch.org
And Roughly Half of Japanese Prefer
Defense Spending to Remain Constant
Do you think we should increase our spending on national defense,
keep it about the same or decrease it?
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey.
Don’t know
5%

26. December 16, 2016 www.pewresearch.org 26
How Japanese Views Compare With the Views of the
Chinese, Indians, Americans and Europeans
*Question not asked in China.
Note: EU percentages are medians based on 10 European countries.
Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. U.S. data from a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 12-19, 2016.
Japan China India EU U.S.
% % % % %
Our country should help other countries deal
with their problems
59 22 23 40 37
Involvement in the global economy is good 58 60 52 56 44
Our country plays a more important role than
10 years ago
24 75 68 23 21
Overwhelming military force is the best way to
defeat terrorism
14 44 62 41 47
Our country should increase spending on
national defense*
29 - 63 33 35

27. December 16, 2016 27
All Pew Research Center reports and data are
available online at www.pewresearch.org
Global Attitudes: www.pewglobal.org
@pewglobal
@BruceStokes
www.pewresearch.org