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The Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities aims to obtain comprehensive data on daily patterns of time allocation and on leisure activities. The survey was first carried out in 1976, and has been conducted every five years.
The seventh Survey was conducted in 2006.
This survey provides statistics that are not obtainable from other surveys, all of which focus almost exclusively on economic aspects of living. These statistics make it possible to observe the lifestyles of various groups and preferences for certain activities over others, and to improve the interpretation and the understanding of various social and economic phenomena. This survey also provides important background information on economic conditions.
The 2006 Survey provides basic data to assist the formulation of policy aimed at maintaining a vital aging society, improving the childcare environment, facilitating gender equality, using information and communication technology in daily life, etc., taking the current social background (e.g., aging society with fewer children, advances in information and communication technology, and diversification of lifestyles) into account.
The reference date for the 2006 Survey is October 20 for the basic characteristics of persons and households. For data on time use, however, reference dates are selected from several days including the reference date, because the pattern of time use varies according to the day of the week.
For this purpose, the sample of the 2006 Survey is divided into several sub-samples, and the respondents for each sub-sample are asked to report their time use on two consecutive days during the period from 14 to 22 October.
The sample is selected through a two-stage stratified sampling method, with the primary sampling unit being the enumeration district (ED) of the Population Census, and the secondary sampling unit being the household.
First, the whole country is divided into the regions of 47 prefectures, and a total of 6,700 sample EDs are selected in those regions. In the selected EDs, around 80,000 households are selected from lists of households prepared by enumerators before the survey. All persons aged 10 and over in the sample households are asked to respond to the survey. The number of these persons totals around 200,000.Foreigners living in Japan are included in the survey.
The survey is conducted through the following channel:
Statistics Bureau - Prefectures -Enumerators - Households
Enumerators deliver the questionnaires to each household to be surveyed, collect the completed questionnaires, and interview the households as necessary.
The questionnaires are completed by household members 10 years old and over, or by the head of the household, as well as by answering questions from the enumerators.
Notes
Enumerators for the Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities are local public service personnel in the special public service appointed by the governor of the administrative unit of to, do, fu or ken, and have a duty to preserve confidentiality.
Enumerators for the Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities must carry an "enumerator identification card", so please identify the enumerator by checking her/his identification card.
The topics covered by the 2006 Survey are as follows.
For time use during a single day, two questionnaires are used: Questionnaire A adopts a pre-coding method, while Questionnaire B is designed to elucidate time use in more detail (diary method or after-coding method). Questionnaire A is used for around 6,350 of 6,700 EDs, and Questionnaire B for the remaining 350 EDs.
Several characteristics of individuals and households are also identified.
To obtain data on time use for each day, schedules for recording time use for each quarter hour are distributed to the respondents. The schedules completed by respondents are collected by the enumerators, along with other questionnaires on participation in leisure activities.
A report with the 2006 Survey results was published in 2007.
(a) Report by Questionnaire A
(b) Report by Questionnaire B
Personal information is protected.
Questionnaires (personal information) collected in statistical surveys are used only for producing statistics in which the respondents remain unidentified.
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