The Asahi Shimbun conducted a emergency telephone survey on the Japanese opinion about Hashimoto Cabinet support, after the scandal around the appointment of the ex-convict Koko Sato. The survey was done on September 19 and 20, 1997, for 1,528 voters and got effective response from 1,062. Proportion of male vs female was 49% : 51%. Compare to the survery two weeks ago, when the cabinet achieved the highest support.
Q1: Do you support Hashimoto Cabinet?
| Yes |  53%
 35%
|
| No | 28%
48%
|
| Other/NA | 19%
17%
|
*row1 1 ( ) is Sep 7-8 '97, row 2 ( ) is Sep 19-20 '97
Q2: Which party do you like best ?
| LDP | 38%
32%
|
| NFP (Shinshinto) | 5%
4%
|
| DPJ (Minshuto) | 3%
3%
|
| JCP | 5%
4%
|
| SDP | 5%
6%
|
| Taiyoto | 0%
1%
|
| Others | 1%
1%
|
| None | 38%
38%
|
| NA | 5%
11%
|
*row1 1 ( ) is Sep 7-8 '97, row 2 ( ) is Sep 19-20 '97
| LDP | 15%
14%
|
| NFP (Shinshinto) | 4%
4%
|
| DPJ (Minshuto) | 4%
6%
|
| JCP | 4%
5%
|
| SDP | 3%
6%
|
| Taiyoto | 1%
1%
|
| None of these | 11%
9%
|
| NA | 1%
4%
|
*row1 1 ( ) is Sep 7-8 '97, row 2 ( ) is Sep 19-20 '97
| Yes | 84%
|
| No | 10%
|
| Other/NA | 6%
|
Q5: Which do you think is the biggest cause to make such a bad situation ?
| Insufficient leadership of the prime minister | 11%
|
| The conceit of LDP | 9%
|
| Pressure from former PM Nakasone and LDP factions | 44%
|
| Lack of ethics in politicians | 28%
|
| Other/NA | 8%
|
Q6: Which do you think is the biggest power to make director Sato decide his resignation ?
| Strong attitude of SDP and Sakigake | 11%
|
| Repellance inside LDP | 16%
|
| Criticism of national people | 67%
|
| Other/NA | 6%
|
| Yes | 76%
|
| No | 18%
|
| Other/NA | 6%
|
Q8: How do you think Hashimoto should take the responsibility for this matter ?
| Apologize to natinal people | 17%
|
| Resign the prime minister | 18%
|
| Take the most effort for the administrative reform | 59%
|
| Other/NA | 6%
|
Q9: Do you think SDP and Sakigake should keep the alliance with LDP ?
| Yes | 32%
|
| No | 49%
|
| Other/NA | 19%
|
Q10: Do you think this Sato scandal will affect the administrative reform seriously ?
| Yes | 60%
|
| No | 28%
|
| Other/NA | 12%
|
Q11: Do you think ex-convict may not become a minister ?
| May not | 75%
|
| Cannot say generally | 21%
|
| Other/NA | 4%
|
Q12: Do you trust current politics ?
| Yes | 18%
|
| No | 69%
|
| Other/NA | 13%
|
Q13: If the general election were held today, which party would you vote ?
| LDP | 29%
|
| NFP (Shinshinto) | 6%
|
| DPJ (Minshuto) | 5%
|
| JCP | 8%
|
| SDP | 7%
|
| Taiyoto | 1%
|
| Others | 1%
|
| None | 22%
|
| NA | 21%
|
Source: The Asahi Shimbun, September 21, 1997
NOTE: I tried to translate the essence of texts, but not aiming at word-by-word precision. In opinion polls, subtle change of wordings may generate different results. Thus, you should be careful in reading this page, understanding that your impression from the text might not be the same as those of who responded this survey.