Rice on display at a supermarket in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture in October 2024.
In a public opinion survey on national life released by the Cabinet Office by December 21, 66.1% of respondents identified "inflation measures" as the government's top policy priority. This represents a 2.0-point decrease from the previous survey conducted in March, but it remains the most frequently cited concern for the second consecutive survey.
Meanwhile, 52.0% of respondents stated they are "satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their standard of life, a 3.0-point increase. This likely reflects the impact of rising prices and wage increases.
Other Government Priorities
In addition to inflation measures, respondents highlighted other key priorities for the government:
- Healthcare, pensions, and other social security improvements (64.6%)
- Economic stimulus measures (58.7%)
- Measures for an aging society (52.2%)
- Countermeasures for declining births (39.0%)
Regarding income and earnings, 34.9% of respondents said they are "satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied," up 3.5 points from the previous survey. Meanwhile, those who are "dissatisfied" or "somewhat dissatisfied" fell by 3.5 points to 64.5%.
The survey was conducted via mail in August and September. It targeted 3,000 men and women aged 18 and older and had a response rate of 61.0%.
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(Read the report in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
