Record number of Americans call Japan reliable
Eighty percent of Americans believe Japan is a reliable ally to the United States, the highest figure since the Foreign Ministry began polling in 1960, the ministry said. The latest figure marked a 13 percentage point jump from last year. Meanwhile, 91 percent of U.S. opinion leaders said the United States could depend on Japan, down one point from last year.
The Foreign Ministry commissioned Gallup to conduct the telephone poll in the United States in February and March.
Asked how they would describe the present level of cooperation between Japan and the United States, 73 percent of Americans said the relationship was excellent or good, up 10 points from the previous year. Among opinion leaders, 81 percent described the relationship positively, down four percentage points from 2008.
Asked to choose the Asian country they believe to be the United States’ most important partner, 46 percent of Americans and 44 percent of opinion leaders picked Japan, up three points and down 10 points from the previous year, respectively. Japan still was the top choice in both categories.
However, China is nipping at Japan’s heels, with 39 percent of Americans and 42 percent of U.S. opinion leaders choosing China as the most important partner to the United States. These figures marked increases of five percentage points and four percentage points, respectively, from the previous year.
I was interested to read the story, but have no real comment, except to ask — why?
Because all the news they hear about Japan is bad news.Americans trust Japan as long as she’s weak.
Japan is so reliable Obama just appointed some random campaign contributor as ambassador (another proud tradition he is carrying on)
Also I wonder, what is the methodology of this study? I see they have two polls – one of normal people and one of so-called “opinion leaders.” But in the normal person category, do they separate out the people who actually know where Japan is and which countries fought in ww2? Otherwise this is like asking children whether they think their toys are a choking hazard.
reliably docile
Interestingly there are polls taken in Japan in the last few years that say around only 35% of Japanese “trust” Americans.
Or rather, America.
And somehow we’ve got 92% of Indians call Japan reliable.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/21/5/1191565_1097.html
“Asked to choose the Asian country they believe to be the United States’ most important partner, 46 percent of Americans and 44 percent of opinion leaders picked Japan, up three points and down 10 points from the previous year, respectively. Japan still was the top choice in both categories.”
Think about this question from the other side: if not Japan, then who? There’s really no other country in Asia that comes to mind is there? Especially when you consider that Americans do not generally think of South Asia when “Asia” is mentioned.
Don’t Americans think that Australia is an Asian country? Kevin Rudd seems to.
“Especially when you consider that Americans do not generally think of South Asia when “Asia” is mentioned.”
Since I haven’t lived in the U.S for nearly quarter of century now,I can’t say much.But hadn’t Indians gaining huge presence in all aspects of the society?
As much as I see on the news and thinktank periodicals,Asia means China and India these days and not much else.
They should have done a follow-up question asking those who answered “yes” to locate Japan on a world map.