University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0849
Survey Title The Questionnaire Survey on Work and Life of Workers, 2012.4
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' on the SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. SSJDA's approval is required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
SSJDA Data Analysis Not available
Summary The purpose of this survey is to periodically explore workers’ attitudes toward economic trends in Japan and their current state of work and living through a questionnaire survey and to obtain basic information with which to consider policy issues from the perspective of improving quality of life of workers.

The survey has been conducted regularly in April and October of every year since the first survey in April 2001. Survey items reflect the principal purpose of the survey, which is the clarification of the state of and views regarding work and living of a diverse range of workers. In addition to a fixed-point survey on workers’ perceptions of business confidence, cost of living, and work itself, the 23rd survey included items on “fiscal state of household budgets,” “changes in workers’ behavior and workplaces after the Great East Japan Earthquake,” “employment in old age,” and “attitudes to social security.”

Since the 21st survey (conducted in April 2011), a change was made from the previous mail access panel survey to an Internet-based web access panel survey to expand the number of survey targets.
Data Type quantitative research: micro data
Universe Private company employees in their 20s to early 60s who live in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region

*Note that surveys of people in their early 60s were also conducted, but due to problems with the working population composition ratio at this stage, a number of responses sufficient to withstand rigorous analysis could not be obtained. They are therefore treated as reference values.
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size In 20s to 50s: 1874 people, in early 60s: 126 people
Date of Collection 2012-04-01 ~ 2012-04-06
2012/04/01– 04/06
Time Period 2012 ~ 2012
Spatial Unit saitama
chiba
tokyo
kanagawa
shiga
kyoto
osaka
hyogo
nara
wakayama
The Greater Tokyo Area (Saitama/Chiba/Tokyo/Kanagawa prefectures) and Kansai region (Shiga/Kyoto/Osaka/Hyogo/Nara/Wakayama prefectures)
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
1. Based on 2,000 people, which is the number of survey subjects that was assumed in advance, we created sample allocation criteria reflecting the distribution ratio of gender, age group, and employment status of employees aged 20 to 64 years, located in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region according to the “2007 (Heisei 19) Employment Status Survey.”2. Based on the allocation criteria, among the private company employees (approximately 60,000 subjects) residing in the Greater Tokyo area and Kansai region who are registered with INTAGE Inc., we randomly sampled each layer to obtain responses above the allocation criteria and requested them to respond to the questionnaire.3. The sample was determined randomly from among the responses received, ensuring that the number sampled from each group accorded with the allocation criteria.*Note that INTAGE Inc. mainly searches for access panel participants via Internet sites and recruitment advertisements in newspapers and magazines, etc.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)
Web access panel survey (self-administered)
Investigator Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards, survey carried out by INTAGE Research Inc.
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0849
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
- Japan’s economic environment, business situation at the place of employment, increase or decrease in number of employees, increase or decrease in actual hours worked, unemployment concerns

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


(3) Evaluation of work and life
- Recognition of current work, intention to change jobs, satisfaction level with current work, satisfaction level with life in general

(4) Labor union
Existence of labor union, membership status/intention join/necessity

(5) Household budget and consumption behavior/saving behavior
Annual household income and expenditure, cutting down on expenditure (food, medical costs, consumer durables, utility and water costs, child’s educational expenses)

(6) Employment in old age
Presence or absence of mandatory retirement system/its applications/retirement age, employment in old age, relationship with youth employment

(7) Social security
Attitude toward the income gap, status identification, public pension and public medical insurance, reliability of social security systems, burden of and payment received from pension/medical and long-term care insurance systems, child and child-rearing support policies, thoughts about “reforms to unify social security and tax”

(8) Changes in behavior and in workplace after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Changes in behavior (collection of donations, volunteering, reducing electricity use, time spent interacting with family, evacuation due to caution about radioactive pollution, savings, insurance, etc.), changes in workplace (planning for business continuity in the event of an earthquake, evacuation drills, introduction of energy-saving products, review of working hours system and operation, shifting manufacturing/sales/marketing locations or business offices overseas, etc.)

[Face items]
Gender, age, place of residence, employment status, employer’s industry, marital status, highest level of educational attainment, working hours, annual wage income, spouse’s employment status, household savings, loan balance, financial provider in the household, children, support for the current Cabinet, size by number of employees, occupation type, years of continuous employment

*For details on survey items, please refer to the questionnaire.
Date of Release 2013/04/24
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Economic conditions and indicators
Employment
Labour relations/conflict
Working conditions
Specific social services: use and availability
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2013-04-24
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese.