Aim and Scope of this Survey:
The primary purpose of this survey, which began in August 2024, is to elucidate how people perceive Japan's diplomacy, national security, and the international situation surrounding Japan. The media have conducted similar surveys on these themes in the past. Nonetheless, the questions were often limited in scope and conducted sporadically. Thus, they were not necessarily designed to capture long-term trends. Our survey aims to understand the public's perceptions amid the rapidly changing international environment surrounding Japan. Further, it seeks to examine them from a long-term perspective while comparing them with similar surveys conducted in other countries to achieve a deeper understanding.

On our 5th Survey:
Since the previous survey in February 2026, a series of major developments has taken place, including the war in Iran and the Hormuz crisis, the Japan–U.S. and U.S.–China summits, and the relaxation of restrictions on Japan’s defense exports. 
  During this period, there have been some changes in the Japanese public’s perceptions of foreign and security issues. Perceptions of the U.S. have shifted: the proportions of respondents who view Japan–U.S. relations as good and who believe that U.S. influence is growing have once again declined. By contrast, there has been little change in the proportion who believe that Japan is protected by the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” or in public confidence that the U.S. would intervene militarily in the event of a contingency.
  Public anxiety about Japan’s security environment remains strong, driven by perceptions of threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. Some 60 to 70 percent of respondents believe that Japan could become involved in conflicts in the Middle East, on the Korean Peninsula, or over Taiwan. While support for increasing defense spending and strengthening the Japan–U.S. alliance exceeds opposition, there remains strong opposition to both Japan developing its own nuclear weapons and the U.S. deploying nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.
  The latest survey also found an increase in the proportion of respondents who regard an energy crisis as an immediate threat to Japan’s security. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that respondents willing to accept higher energy prices resulting from sanctions against Russia outnumber those unwilling to do so.


Past Survey: (https://roles.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/publications?team=208)

(Click on the link below for the full report).