People in Favor of Environmental Tax Outnumber Dissenters

On October 8, 2007, the Cabinet Office of Japan released the results of a public opinion poll on global warming countermeasures. According to the results, 92.3 percent were interested in global warming,up from 87.1 in the previous survey in July 2005. The 2007 poll also showed growing concern over the environmental impacts of global warming, as compared with the previous survey. For example, those who assumed that a sea-level rise could affect coastal areas, houses and facilities were 70.9 percent (up from 62.6), those who thought that ecosystem might be drastically changed as many plants and animals species become extinct were 60.5 percent (up from 53.3), and those who believed that crop yields would decrease rose to 56.8 percent from 51.7.

Regarding the introduction of an environmental tax, 40.1 percent of the respondents approved of such a measure, up from 24.8 percent in the previous survey. Meanwhile, 32.0 percent (down from 32.4) of the respondents were opposed, and 24.4 percent (down from 35.5) were unsure. The percentage of those approving was higher in major cities, while those opposing tended to live in small cities. Also, more men approved than women, and more women were unsure than men.

The poll targeted 3,000 people nationwide aged 20 years or over. Polltakers interviewed them individually in August 2007, and 60.2 percent of people responded.

http://www.cao.go.jp/index-e.html

Posted: 2007/12/07 10:57:05 AM
Japanese version