University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0766
Survey Title The Questionnaire Survey on Work and Life of Workers, 2010.10
Depositor JTUC Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards
(Former Name:Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards)
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' at SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. SSJDA's approval required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
Nesstar Not available
Summary This survey, “The Questionnaire Survey on Work and Life of Workers,” aims to clarify economic, employment, and living trends as seen from the perspective of workers and to obtain basic information with which to consider policy issues from the perspective of improving employment and quality of life. This is done by periodically exploring workers’ attitudes toward economic trends in Japan and their current state of work and living.

The survey has been conducted regularly in April and October of every year since the first survey in April 2001, and this is the 20th survey. In the 10th survey (October 2005), fixed-point survey items were revised, survey subjects were expanded to include people in their early 60s, and some other improvements were made. This survey reflects changes that were made then. All previous surveys are archived in the SSJDA.

While Japan is recovering from the impact of the global economic crisis that occurred in fall two years ago, this survey looks at how workers’ attitudes toward their life circumstances and work have changed in weak economy, as well as their voting behavior in the House of Councillors election this summer, the national election that took place after the historical change of government in fall last year. The main survey items are as follows.

〇 Awareness of economic trends and work [fixed point observation survey]
〇 Working non-scheduled hours/unpaid overtime and working hours’ management [topic survey]
〇 Awareness regarding last year’s change of government and current administration [topic survey] 
〇 Awareness of labor union [fixed point observation survey]
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Private company employees in their 20s to 50s who live in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region

*People in their early 60s were also eligible for the survey, but their results are used for reference purposes only in the report.
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size
Number of questionnaires distributed Valid responses Valid response rate
In 20s to 50s  900 people 793 people 88.1%
(Reference) In early 60s 200 people 177 people 88.5%
Date of Collection 2010-10-01 ~ 2010-10-12
2010/10/01 – 10/12
Time Period 2010 ~ 2010
Spatial Unit saitama
chiba
tokyo
kanagawa
shiga
kyoto
osaka
hyogo
nara
wakayama
The Greater Tokyo Area (Saitama/Chiba/Tokyo/Kanagawa)
Kansai region (Shiga/Kyoto/Osaka/Hyogo/Nara/Wakayama)
Sampling Procedure Probability: Stratified
Other
Private company employees: 588 living in the Greater Tokyo Area and 312 living in the Kansai region were extracted from the INTAGE Inc. monitors (approximately 240,000 people across Japan) using the sample distribution criteria we prepared with consideration of distribution of gender/age strata/employment status in the “2007 (Heisei 19) Employment Status Survey” among people in their 20s to 50s living in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region. The ratio of the total sample of the Great Tokyo Area and Kansai region was 2:1, which is almost proportional to the population size ratio of these two areas.

In order to gain a sufficient sample for the survey of those in their early 60s, 200 people were sampled, which is almost 2.8 times the allocation standard for this age group in the “2007 Employment Status Survey.”

For this reason, data in the analysis are summarized separately for those in their 20s to 50s and those in their early 60s when calculating the average value.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Questionnaires for self-administered mail survey were distributed
Investigator Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards, survey carried out by INTAGE Inc.
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0766
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Questionnaire
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation
Major Survey Items [Questionnaire items]

(1) Economic trends and business situation of companies
- Japan’s economic environment
- Work status
- Business situation at the place of employment (performance)
- Increase or decrease in number of employees (regular employees/non-regular employees)
- Increase or decrease in actual working hours
- Unemployment concerns

(2) Income, consumption, and living conditions
 - Increase or decrease in personal wage income
 - Increase or decrease in household income
 - Increase or decrease in total household consumption
 - Sense of fluctuation in prices
 - Household living conditions

(3) Evaluation of work and life
- Feeling about work (10 items)
- Intention of changing jobs, reason
 - Satisfaction level with work
 - Satisfaction level with life in general

(4) Working non-scheduled hours/unpaid overtime and working hours management
- Situation of working non-scheduled hours
- Number of non-scheduled hours
- Attitude toward working non-scheduled hours
- Reason for working non-scheduled hours
- Eligibility for overtime allowance
- Status of reporting overtime hours
- Overtime hours not reported
- Reason for not reporting overtime hours
- Poor physical condition due to long working hours
- Management of working hours and work by superiors

(5) Politics and policies
- Whether respondent wanted a “change of the regime” in the general election of the House of Representatives in August 2009
- Evaluation of the “regime change,” criteria of the evaluation
- Forecast for Japanese society since inauguration of new Cabinet
- Voting status (electoral district, proportional representation) in the House of Councillors election in July 2010, reasons for voting (proportional representation)

(6) Labor union
 - Existence of labor union at the place of employment
 - Membership status
 - Intention to become a member
 - Necessity of a labor union


[Face items]
 - Gender
 - Age
 - Marital status
 - Highest level of educational attainment
 - Actual working hours per week
 - Annual wage income of respondent
- Annual household income

- Earners besides respondent
 - Spouse’s employment status and actual working hours per week
 - Total amount of household savings
 - Situation of household loans
 - Financial provider in the household
 - Presence of children, age of the youngest child
- Support for the current Cabinet
 - Employer’s industry
- Size of company by number of employees
 - Occupation type
 - Years of continuous employment

 < Access panel registration information>
 - Area of residence,
 - Number of families members
 - Household composition
 - Type of residence
 - Years at residence
Date of Release 2011/07/07
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Economic conditions and indicators
Employment
Labour relations/conflict
Working conditions
Political behaviour and attitudes
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2011-07-07
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese.