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The Bureau is the main supplier of statistical data pertaining to Japan’s population and housing. It is responsible for conducting both the Population Census of Japan and the Housing and Land Survey once every five years. It is also responsible for compiling internal migration statistics and current population estimates.
The purpose of the Population Census is to investigate the domestic situation of the population and the number of households it comprises in order to obtain basic data for the development and implementation of important policies and measures.
The Population Census of Japan has been conducted every five years since 1920, with the exception of 1945, when the census could not be taken due to World War II. However, special population censuses were taken during the 1940s to fill this gap. The latest Population Census was the 19th census, taken in October 2010.
When the first census was taken, the Law Concerning the Population Census stipulated that the census be taken every ten years. However, the law was amended in 1922 to stipulate that the census be conducted every five years, alternating between large-scale and simplified censuses. For example, the 1925 and 1935 censuses were simplified, while the 1930 and 1940 censuses were large scale.
The scheduled 1945 census could not be carried out because of the widespread upheaval at the end of World War II. Instead, the Bureau conducted the Extraordinary Population Census in 1947, in accordance with the provisions of the former Statistics Act. This act initially stipulated that the census be conducted every five years. However, after the 1950 census, the act was amended in 1954 to require a large-scale census every ten years, and a simplified one in the fifth year following such a census.
The main difference between large-scale and simplified censuses lies in the number of questions. In recent large-scale censuses, for instance, each household enumerated was required to answer 20 questions, while in recent simplified censuses, the households needed to answer only 17 questions.
The 2010 census was taken as of midnight on October 1, 2010. This census date has remained unchanged since 1920 for all regular censuses.
The Population Census of Japan covers the entire territory of Japan. However, as the territory under Japanese control has changed after World War II, the area covered by subsequent censuses has changed accordingly. However, the census coverage has remained unchanged since the 1975 census, conducted after Okinawa returned to Japanese administration in 1972.
The 2010 census covered the entire territory of Japan, except the following islands:
The persons enumerated are those who are usually residing in the territory of Japan at the time of each census. These persons are counted at their places of usual residence. They comprise the de jure population of Japan. The following persons, however, are excluded from the census:
Generally, the words “persons usually residing in Japan” are interpreted, in the census, as those persons who have lived or are going to live in their respective households for three months or more, as of the census date. Persons who have no usual place of residence, or whose usual place of residence is unknown, are counted at the places where they are located at the time of the census. This definition has remained unchanged since the 1950 census.
The 2010 census was conducted through the following channels:
The Bureau is in charge of planning and executing the census, which includes arranging materials and documents, supervising the census work carried out by prefectures and municipalities, and publishing the results.
Under the supervision of the Bureau, the statistics divisions of the prefectural governments are responsible for conducting census operations in each prefecture. These statistics divisions perform the census work, which consists of distributing census documents to municipal governments, supervising the fieldwork of municipalities, collecting census documents from municipalities, and so forth, at the prefectural level.
Under the supervision of the prefectural governments, the respective shi (city), ku (ward), machi (town), and mura (village) offices perform tasks such as establishing the enumeration districts, selecting and training supervisors and enumerators, distributing census documents to supervisors and enumerators, and collecting these documents.
The fieldwork for the 2010 census was carried out by enumerators who were specially appointed for the census. Supervisors were also appointed for training and supervising the enumerators, examining entries on census questionnaires, and other tasks. These enumerators and supervisors were appointed by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.
In the 2010 Census, the households were to select the following newly introduced response-methods.
The purpose of introducing these methods was to address the change of conditions such as increase of households in which members are absent from home in the daytime, and their privacy concerns.
[Basic Unit Blocks (BUBs)]
The 1990 census first adopted the concept of “Basic Unit Blocks” (BUBs) to establish permanent geographical units. For localities where the address designation was conducted based on the gaiku areas, determined by the Law Concerning the Address Designation of Residences, one gaiku normally constituted one BUB. A gaiku is a small area that has been permanently established by further dividing a subdivision (called cho or aza) within a municipal district by roads, railways, rivers, etc. For the remaining areas, the municipal governments demarcated BUBs based on small areas similarly delineated by clear and permanent geographical characteristics and landmarks. Generally, one BUB comprises around 20-30 households.
As the method used to establish the BUBs suggests, they are intrinsically permanent. However, for the 2010 census, some of the BUBs established in the 2005 census have been inevitably altered because of boundary changes between municipalities, address designation changes, and other reasons.
The BUBs are the units for compiling and providing statistics for small areas. However, the statistical tables for the BUBs only contain basic data items such as age and sex, as the BUBs are too small for cross-classified tabulation. Table with more details are compiled for cho or aza (subdivisions within municipalities).
[Enumeration Districts (EDs)]
Before each census, the entire area of Japan is divided into “enumeration districts” (EDs), which are then accurately mapped.
The EDs for the 2010 census were demarcated on October 1, 2009, a year before the census date; each ED was normally a combination of two or more BUBs and contained around 50 households. In cases where a BUB consisted of many households, it was counted as one ED or was further divided into two or more EDs. The EDs were subsequently partially amended up to the census date to incorporate changes after demarcation. Thus, the EDs were finally demarcated as of the census date.
The following questions were asked in the 2010 census (20 questions):
(a) For household members
(b) For households
After every census since 1950, the Bureau has conducted post-census surveys to evaluate the actual coverage of the census and the reliability of the data obtained. The results of these post-census surveys are used to check the accuracy of the census results and to plan future population censuses.
The 2010 post-census survey was conducted on November 21, 2010.
The Bureau entrusted the data processing of the 2010 census to the National Statistics Center. After being accepted and sorted, the census questionnaires are read using Optical Character Readers (OCRs) and coded by category (industry, occupation, etc.) Subsequently, the data that has been completely checked are compiled and tabulated.
The major results of the 2010 census are tabulated as follows.
The major results of the 2010 census are released as follows.
In addition to the above tabulations, the Tabulations for Small Areas are released in series by the respective small areas such as BUBs and EDs and on a grid-square basis.
They are also available on the Internet.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kokusei/index.htm
To provide major population figures for the most recent reference date during the inter-census period, the Bureau compiles two sets of Current Population Estimates: monthly nationwide estimates and annual prefectural estimates. Both sets of estimates are based on the census population and are extrapolated from vital statistics and migration statistics.
The annual estimates have been calculated since 1921, the year after the first Population Census, while the monthly estimates have been compiled since the month following the 1950 Population Census.
The reference date of the monthly estimates is the first day of each month and that of the annual estimates is October 1.
The population estimates cover the entire population, including foreigners who usually reside in Japan. However, the estimates exclude some foreigners such as foreign diplomatic and consular corps, including their party or family members, and foreign military personnel and their family members.
The monthly estimates involve computing the population of the entire country by sex and five-year age groups. The estimates are computed by adding the number of births and the number of persons entering Japan to the census population and subtracting the number of deaths and the number of persons leaving Japan.
The annual estimates are computed for the prefectural populations by sex and five-year age groups and for the nationwide population, by sex and age in years. These estimates are computed based on internal migration statistics in addition to the statistics used to compute the monthly estimates. However, annual estimates are not published in the Population Census years.
The estimates are revised retroactively when the results of the more recent census become available. The annual population estimates of the inter-census periods are available for every year since 1921, the year after the first Population Census.
The annual estimates published include the “population by age (single year) and sex for Japan” and the “population by age (five-year age group) and sex for prefectures” as of October 1, in April.
The estimates are used in various white papers and as basic data for demographic and economic analyses in national, regional, and international organizations.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/index.htm
Internal Migration Statistics are important sources of information for assessing the mobility of the population based on the records of the Basic Resident Registers, and the head of each municipality (shi, ku (of the 23 wards that make up Tokyo), machi, and mura) is responsible for preparing these registers in accordance with the Law of the Basic Resident Registers.
This report was initially called the “Report on Internal Migration in Japan Derived from the Resident Registers.” However, when the Resident Registration Law (Law no. 218 of 1951) was revised as the Law of the Basic Resident Registers (Law no. 81 of 1967), this report was also renamed the “Report on Internal Migration in Japan Derived from the Basic Resident Registers.”
These statistics cover the migration of people across the borders of municipalities, i.e., shi, ku, machi, and mura.
This report is compiled from the following data, which are reported to each municipality and provided to the Statistics Bureau, based on Article 37 of the Law of the Basic Resident Registers.
The Bureau processes and compiles the data given by prefectural governments in statistical tables; the Bureau also tabulates records for prefectures and 20 major cities by origin and destination of migration.
The Bureau releases the results in the “Monthly Report,” which contains monthly internal migration statistics, by the end of the following month and in the “Annual Report,” which contains annual internal migration statistics, in the months of January and April.
The survey results are used to provide basic data for generating the current population estimates and the population projection of future regional populations.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/idou/index.htm
The Housing and Land Survey is the most fundamental statistical survey pertaining to housing conditions. Its purpose is to obtain basic data for various housing and land policy measures by investigating the actual situation of dwellings and other buildings, and the households occupying them, in order to clarify the present circumstances and trends for the entire country, including major metropolitan areas and prefectures.
The Housing and Land Survey is the most comprehensive, large-scale sample survey of housing conditions and land ownership in Japan.
The survey has been conducted every five years since 1948 as the Housing Survey; it was expanded and renamed the “Housing and Land Survey” in 1998. The latest survey, which was conducted in October 2008, was the 13th survey.
The survey date of the 2008 Housing and Land Survey was October 1, 2008.
The survey units consisted of dwellings, other occupied buildings, and all households inhabiting these dwellings and buildings located in the enumeration districts (EDs) at the time of the survey date. However, the survey excluded the following facilities and households residing therein:
The survey covers the entire territory of Japan except for the following islands:
A two-stage stratified sampling method was used in the 2008 survey. The first-stage sampling unit was an ED utilized in the 2005 Population Census, and the second-stage sampling unit was a dwelling unit located in an enumeration unit district, which was formed from the sample ED.
As a national average, approximately one-fifth of the EDs taken from the 2005 Population Census were sampled in the first stage (206,000 EDs were selected from 982,000 EDs).
The Bureau planned and administered the 2008 survey through the following channels:
Approximately 83,000 enumerators conducted the survey, while approximately 15,000 supervisors provided guidance to the enumerators and inspected their documents. In addition, the Bureau set up a call center so that inquiries from households could be promptly answered.
Questionnaires A and B that were distributed to households, and Building Survey Sheets filled out by the enumerators were used to investigate the following topics in the 2008 Housing and Land Survey dated October 1, 2008:
(1) Survey items in all unit districts in common
(a) Buildings
(b) Dwellings
(c) Households
(d) Main earner or head of household
(e) Dwelling environment
(2) Survey items in Questionnaire B
(a) Housing and land other than present residence
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. Tabulations are made simultaneously in two stages: tabulation of the tentative results for the Interim Report and tabulation using the full sample.
The Interim Reports were released in July 2009, the Final Results were released by March 2010, and the Results of Supplementary Tabulation were released in September 2010.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jyutaku/index.htm
There are three major sources of labour statistics: sample household surveys, sample establishment surveys, and administrative records. In terms of coverage, sample household surveys, which cover the entire population, are generally the most comprehensive data sources, while sample establishment surveys and administrative records cover only those who are employed by establishments or registered at administrative offices. On the other hand, the latter two sources are useful for obtaining various data that are needed for specific policy purposes, such as labour administration.
The Bureau conducts sample household surveys on labour, while the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare conducts sample establishment surveys and compiles administrative records.
The purpose of the Labour Force Survey is to provide current data on the employment status of the population and monthly changes in employment levels.
The survey has been conducted every month since July 1947, following a test period of 10 months from September 1946 to June 1947. In 2002, the Special Survey of the Labour Force Survey, which had been conducted twice a year, was integrated into the Labour Force Survey.
The survey provides monthly basic figures on employment and unemployment, such as the number of employed persons by industry and occupation and the number of unemployed persons, mostly at the national level.
The reference date for the survey is the last day of each month, except the month of December, for which the reference date is December 26. The questions in the labour force status refer to the reference period of one week, which ends on the reference date.
The survey covers all persons aged 15 years and above who usually reside in Japan, except members of the foreign diplomatic corps, their suite and dependents, and foreign military personnel and their dependents.
The sample is selected using a two-stage stratified sampling method, the primary sampling units being the enumeration districts (EDs) of the Population Census and the secondary sampling units being the dwelling units. All persons aged 15 years and above who usually live in the sample dwelling units are required to respond to the survey. The overall sampling ratio is around 1:1,000.
In the initial stage of sampling, all EDs are stratified, mainly according to their industrial characteristics at the time of the latest available Population Census. From among some 1,000,000 EDs, around 2,900 EDs are selected through the stratified sampling.
In the second stage of sampling, before conducting the survey, the enumerator prepares a complete list of dwelling units for each sampled ED (containing an average of 50 households). Approximately 15 dwelling units are systematically selected from this list.
The sampled dwelling units comprise around 40,000 households in total. This sample size has remained the same since 1983, although there have been some changes in the past. Approximately 100,000 persons are included in the sample every month.
The secondary sampling units are dwelling units, not households, because the list of dwelling units provides a more stable sampling frame than that of households. In the event that the household residing in a sampled dwelling unit moves out after the list has been prepared but before the survey date, the enumerator need only visit the new occupant of the same dwelling unit rather than having to trace the whereabouts of the household that has moved out.
To enhance reliability, when measuring changes in the current month as compared to those in the previous month and in the same month of the previous year, the sample is renewed regularly under a rotation system.
Under this system, around half of the sampled dwelling units remain in the sample for two consecutive months. For comparison with the same month of the previous year, around half of the sampled dwelling units remain the same. There are always households that change addresses, but there is an overlap of slightly less than half of the sampled households between two adjacent months of the same year and between two months separated by one year.
To achieve this rotation, the entire sample is divided into eight independent sub-samples, each with its own timing for rotation, spread evenly throughout the year. Once an ED is included in the sample, it remains there for four consecutive months and then leaves the sample for eight months. Subsequently, the same ED is included in the sample again for four months before finally being removed from the sample. During the four months when an ED is in the sample, two sets of dwelling units are selected: one is enumerated in the first two months, and the other, in the next two months. During the first and second years when an ED is included in the sample, the same sets of dwelling units are enumerated to maximize the overlap of the sample for comparison over the years.
As a result of adopting this system, a sampled household is usually enumerated in two consecutive months; it is then excluded from the sample for ten months. Subsequently, it is enumerated again for two months.
The list of dwelling units in the ED is reviewed every month so that changes can be incorporated. As a result, some sampled dwelling units might disappear or new dwelling units may be included in the sample. In such cases, the percentage of overlap in the sample between the two months might be affected.
The survey is conducted through the following channels:
Supervisors are selected from the staff of the prefectural governments and are responsible for training and supervising the enumerators.
The enumerator prepares a list of all the dwelling units in the ED assigned to him or her. The supervisor selects the sample of dwelling units from the list according to the method followed by the Bureau. Thereafter, the households in these selected dwelling units are surveyed.
Two types of questionnaires are used in the survey: a basic questionnaire and a special questionnaire. Surveys are conducted using the basic questionnaire in the same two months in two successive years and using the special questionnaire only in the second month of the second year.
Within seven days before the survey week, the enumerator visits all the households in the sample dwelling units and requests them to fill in the questionnaires. Within three days after the survey week, the enumerator revisits the households and collects the questionnaires after checking the entries on the spot. The collected questionnaires are then submitted to the prefectural office, checked by the supervisors, and sent to the Bureau.
(a) Basic questionnaire
Every month, the respondents are asked to report the following items:
(b) Special questionnaire
In the second month of the second year, the respondents are asked to report the following items:
[For employed persons]
[For unemployed persons]
[For persons not in the labour force]
[Regarding the previous job]
[For persons aged 15 years and above]
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The results are tabulated as statistics for the following characteristics.
(a) Basic tabulation:
(b) Detailed tabulation:
The monthly results obtained through the basic questionnaire, including the unemployment rates, are released at the end of the month following the survey and reported at the relevant cabinet meeting. The results compiled quarterly and annual basis are also tabulated for the 10 regions and the whole country
The results based on the special questionnaires are released on a quarterly basis, two months after the last month of the survey.
The “Annual Report on the Labour Force Survey” is published in the following year.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.htm
The Employment Status Survey aims to provide detailed data on the structure of employment and unemployment at national and regional levels.
[Comparison with the Labour Force Survey]
The Employment Status Survey differs from the Labour Force Survey in the following respects:
In accordance with these characteristics, the sample used in the Employment Status Survey is much larger than that used in the Labour Force Survey, with the former covering around one million people aged 15 years and above, while the latter covers around 100,000 such persons.
The Employment Status Survey obtains data based on the usual employment status rather than the actual employment status, which is investigated in the Labour Force Survey and the Population Census. The Employment Status Survey focuses on the usual employment status because this information is more appropriate for analyses of certain aspects such as under employment or the taking up of secondary jobs, because surveys of the actual status of employment, which cover only a weekly period, cannot provide an accurate picture of these aspects.
From 1956 to 1982, the survey was generally conducted every three years. After 1982, the interval was increased to five years, and the latest survey, which was conducted in 2007, was the 15th survey.
The survey was taken as of midnight on October 1, 2007.
The 2007 survey, which was conducted in the designated enumeration districts (EDs), covered household members aged 15 years and above in approximately 450,000 households living in the sampled units (buildings or parts of buildings capable of housing one household) selected by the mayors of cities and the heads of towns and villages in the manner prescribed by the Bureau.
The following persons, however, were excluded from the enumeration:
This survey adopted a stratified two-stage sampling method where the EDs of the 2005 Population Census constituted the first-stage sampling units and dwellings constituted the second-stage sampling units.
In the first stage, stratified random sampling was used to select census EDs from the entire country.
In the second stage, random sampling was used to select a specific number of dwellings from among the households living in the sample districts.
The survey enumerated all the household members aged 15 years and above living in the selected dwellings in the sample EDs.
The 2007 survey was conducted through the following channels:
In addition, the Bureau set up a call center so that inquiries from households could be promptly answered.
Enumerators delivered the questionnaires to each household to be surveyed, collected the completed questionnaires, and interviewed the household members as necessary. The questionnaires were completed by either household members aged 15 years and above or the head of the household, who also answered certain questions asked by the enumerators. In some cases, the mayors of municipalities entrusted the work of enumeration to private research companies, whose employees performed the task of enumerators.
In addition, in the EDs designated by the Bureau, households could fill in the questionnaires through an electronic information processing system with telecommunication lines connecting their own computers and those of the Bureau.
The Employment Status Survey mostly covered the same topics on every occasion, with some slight changes to incorporate topics of current interest. The 2007 survey covered the following topics:
(a) Items related to household members aged 15 years and above
[For all household members]
Name, sex, marital status, relationship to the head of the household, month and year of birth, educational status-e.g., whether attending or graduated from an educational institution-address as of one year ago, usual labour force status, whether involved in any training or self-development, type of training or self-development, and labour force status during the last week of September
[For persons engaged in work]
a) Main job
Employment status, type of employment at workplace, type of legal organization at workplace, name of workplace, whether starting a business for oneself, type of business conducted at workplace, type of work, number of persons engaged in the enterprise, days worked per year, regularity of work, working hours per week, income, whether the respondent wishes to change the present job or to take up an additional job, whether the respondent wishes to extend working hours etc., reason for wishing to change present job, status of job that the respondent wishes to take up, whether seeking a job, when the respondent took up the present job, reason for taking up the job, labour force status of one year ago, and whether the respondent has prior work experience
b) Second job
Status in employment and type of business conducted at workplace
c) Previous job
When the respondent left the previous job, reason for leaving the previous job, status in employment, type of employment at workplace, type of business conducted at workplace, type of work, number of persons engaged in the enterprise, duration of employment (in months and years), relationship between present job or previous job and “first job,” date of commencement of “first job,” and employment status and type of employment in the first job
[For persons not engaged in work]
a) Wish to work etc.
Whether the respondent wishes to work, reason for wishing to work, type of job the respondent wishes to take up, status of job the respondent wishes to take up, whether seeking a job, reason for not seeking a job, duration of seeking a job, intention to take up a job, reason for not wishing to work, labour force status one year ago, and whether the respondent has prior work experience
b) Previous employment
When the respondent left the previous job, reason for leaving the previous job, status in employment, type of employment at workplace, type of business conducted at workplace, type of work, number of persons engaged in the enterprise, duration engaged in work (months and years), relationship between present job or previous job and first job, timing of the opening for first job, and employment status and type of employment in the first job
(b) Items related to households
Household members aged under 15 years, household members aged 15 years and above, types of household income sources, and annual income of the household, as a whole
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The major tabulation points are as follows:
The results of the 2007 survey were published in the following four volumes:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/shugyou/index.htm
The objectives of the Economic Census for Business Frame are, by investigating the economic activity of establishments and enterprises, to identify the basic structure of establishments and enterprises (e.g., the number of persons engaged) in all industries on a national and regional level and to obtain basic information for conducting various statistical surveys.
The Japanese government was faced with the urgent challenge of developing primary statistics that could succinctly capture the entire picture of Japan’s economic activities. Certain characteristics of Japan’s previous industrial statistics, which are mentioned below, made it difficult for the government to utilize the statistical data and imposed major limitations on the estimation of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Under these circumstances, in a policy called “Toward the Structural Reform of Official Statistics” (June 10, 2005, the Committee for Development of Economic and Social Statistics, Cabinet Office), it was determined that “a census focusing on establishments and enterprises should be implemented in 2009, and another census focusing on accounting items should also be implemented in 2011, utilizing the information of the 2009 survey.” Moreover, the “2005 Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Structural Reform” (June 21, 2005, Cabinet Approval) referred to the need to develop statistics corresponding to the changes in industrial structure, such as the Economic Census, which succinctly captures the entire picture of economic activity in Japan.
This led to the merging of large-scale statistical surveys such as the Establishment and Enterprise Census [1947-2006] and the decision to establish the Economic Census.
The 2009 census was conducted as of July 1, 2009.
This census covers all establishments and enterprises, excluding unincorporated establishments related to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, domestic services, foreign governments, and international agencies operating in Japan.
The 2009 census consisted of Survey A, which covered all private establishments and enterprises, and Survey B, which covered all public establishments in both the central and local governments.
(1) Survey A (for private establishments and enterprises) was conducted through the following channels:
(2) Survey B (for public establishments) was conducted through the following channels:
The 2009 census was conducted using four different methods, i.e., surveys by enumerators, by the central government, by prefectures, and by municipalities, depending on the size of the establishment and enterprise surveyed.
Survey A (for private establishments)
1. Survey by enumerator
Enumerators visited each establishment, distributed questionnaires, and collected the completed questionnaires.
2. Survey by central government, prefecture, or municipality
The establishment first selected the method of response, i.e., they could choose whether to submit the survey questionnaire via the Internet or to mail it back to the concerned government authority. The central government (or prefecture or municipal authority) then distributed the questionnaires (soft or hard copies) via the Internet and collected them after they were completed.
Survey B (for public establishments)
3. In the case of municipal establishments, the municipal mayors were responsible for sending and collecting the questionnaires; in prefectural establishments, this was done by the prefectural governors, and in national establishments, this duty was performed by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications through other ministers.
[Enumeration districts (EDs)]
The entire area of Japan is divided into EDs in order to clarify the area of which each enumerator is in charge, avoid duplication in the compilation of statistics, and obtain basic information for conducting various statistical surveys on establishments and enterprises.
In the Economic Census, the EDs are demarcated by the number of enterprises in units named “cho” or “aza.” Each ED includes around 50 enterprises. However, if an ED has more than 50 enterprises, it is further subdivided.
The EDs were established as of June 1, 2008, and after some revision, they were finally demarcated as of July 1, 2009, when the census was conducted.
The 2009 census was conducted using two types of questionnaires: I and II. Questionnaire I was for private establishments, while questionnaire II was for public establishments. Each questionnaire surveyed the following items:
(1) Questionnaire I (for private establishments)
(a) Items concerning establishments
(b) Items concerning enterprises
(2) Questionnaire II (for public establishments)
The Bureau entrusts the data processing to the National Statistics Center. The major tabulation points are as follows:
(a) Establishments
(b) Incorporated enterprises
The major results of the 2009 census were published as follows:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/e-census/2009/index.htm
The objectives of the Economic Census for Business Activity are, by investigating the economic activity of establishments and enterprises, to identify the structure of establishments and enterprises in all industries on a national and regional level and to obtain basic information for conducting various statistical surveys.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) in July 2009 conducted an “Economic Census for Business Frame,” aiming to identify the establishments and enterprises operating in Japan. Based on the results of this census, MIC and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plan to conduct a “2012 Economic Census for Business Activity” in February 2012, which will focus on identifying the activities of these establishments and enterprises during 2011, in collaboration with many other governmental ministries and agencies. Since the results from this census pertain to business administration, they are intended for use by business people, not only government and researchers.
While conducting the 2012 Economic Census for Business Activity, the Bureau and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plan to integrate some of the major surveys, such as the “Establishment and Enterprise Census” and the “Survey on Service Industries,” into the new census. Moreover, the new census will also cover the questionnaire items contained in the “Census of Commerce in 2009” and the “Census of Manufactures 2011” in order to reduce the burden on survey respondents.
The census will be taken as of February 1, 2012.
This census will cover all establishments and enterprises, excluding unincorporated establishments related to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, domestic services, and public establishments in both central and local governments, foreign governments, and international agencies operating in Japan.
The survey for the 2012 census will be conducted both by enumerators and by direct mailing.
(1) Survey by enumerators:
(2) Survey by direct mailing:
(a) Survey by the central government
(b) Survey by prefectures
(c) Survey by municipalities
(1) Survey by enumerators
In the case of single-unit establishments, an enumerator will visit each establishment, distribute a questionnaire, and request a representative to complete it. Thereafter, an enumerator will collect the completed questionnaire.
(2) Survey by direct mailing
In the case of enterprises having head and branch offices, the relevant authorities plan to directly mail questionnaires to these enterprises, which can then return the completed questionnaires (in either printed or electronic form) by mail or via the Internet.
The items include basic ones such as the number of employees etc., in addition to some other questions regarding accounts, sales, expenses, and so on.
The two ministries plan to entrust the data processing to the National Statistics Center. The major tabulation points are as follows:
(a) Establishments
(b) Incorporated enterprises
The publication schedule for the reports on the 2012 census is as follows:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/e-census/2012/index.htm
The Unincorporated Enterprise Survey aims at providing comprehensive data on the activities and economic status of unincorporated enterprises in Japan. The survey is a valuable source of data on small enterprises because such data are scarce in Japan. The survey collects data on such enterprises on a quarterly basis.
This survey was first carried out in April 1952. Until July 1961, the survey was known as the “Unincorporated Commercial and Manufacturing Enterprise Survey,” as it covered only the manufacturing, wholesale, and retail trade industries. In July 1961, some service industries were added to the coverage, and the survey was renamed the “Unincorporated Enterprise Survey.”
In April 2002, some new questions were added to the survey items, such as those relating to business confidence and the age of proprietors. The sample of unincorporated enterprises was also increased from around 3,000 to 4,000 to improve the accuracy of the survey results.
This survey includes two types of surveys: the Trend Survey and the Structural Survey.The Trend Survey is conducted quarterly, i.e., for the periods of April to June, July to September, October to December, and January to March. Sample enterprises are surveyed for one year, divided into four rotation groups-each of which is exchanged quarterly with sliding spans of three months, because three-quarters of all samples remain the same for the sake of leveling shifts at the exchange of samples.
The Structural Survey is carried out for samples of the Trend Survey in January to March every year of the yearly status, as of the last day of the previous year.
The survey covers about 4,000 unincorporated establishments in the following industries, according to the Japan Standard Industrial Classification (Rev.12, November 2007):
Division E - Manufacturing
Division I - Wholesale and retail trade
Division K - Real estate and goods rental and leasing
70 Goods rental and leasing
Division L - Scientific research, professional and technical services
73 Advertising
74 Technical services, not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.) (limited to “744” commodity inspection and non-destructive testing services and “745” surveyor certification)
Division M - Accommodations, eating and drinking services (excl. “765” drinking houses and beer hall and “766” bars, cabarets and night clubs)
Division N - Living-related and personal services and amusement services
78 Laundry, beauty, and bath services
79 Miscellaneous living-related and personal services (excl. “792” domestic services)
Division R - Services, n.e.c.
89 Automobile maintenance services
90 Machine, etc. repair services, except otherwise classified
91 Employment and worker dispatching services
92 Miscellaneous business services
The Unincorporated Enterprise Survey employs a three-stage stratified sampling method. The municipalities constitute the primary sampling unit. Throughout Japan, 166 cities and 24 towns and villages are selected using a stratified sampling method. The secondary sampling unit is the unit area formed by combining several enumeration districts (EDs) of the Establishment and Enterprise Census [1947-2006]. From each sampled municipality, one unit area is selected randomly. The tertiary sampling unit is the establishment. Establishments are selected from the list of establishments prepared by the Establishment and Enterprise Census [1947-2006]. From each sampled unit area, 20 enterprises are selected in the case of cities, and 15 in the case of towns and villages. The overall sample size is around 4,000 enterprises.
The survey is conducted through the following channels:
Enumerators distribute questionnaires to each unincorporated establishment selected by the Bureau and subsequently collect the completed questionnaires from the business proprietors or their representatives.
(a) Trend Survey
[Business sentiment of the business proprietor]
[Persons engaged]
[Operating income, expenses, etc.]
(b) Structural Survey
[Type of operation]
[Business proprietor]
[Operating income, expenses, etc.]
[Persons engaged]
[Use of personal computers]
[Problems in managing business]
[Management policy]
[Assets and liabilities of the business]
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The following results are tabulated:
(a) Trend Survey
(b) Structural Survey
The results of the Trend Survey are officially announced twice, first for the provisional version and second for the final version of the two months after the completion of each survey period, while those of the Structural Survey are released in July of the year following the survey year.
The results of the Trend Survey are published in the “Quarterly Report on the Unincorporated Enterprise Survey (Trend Survey)” and the “Annual Report on the Unincorporated Enterprise Survey (Trend Survey),” while those of the Structural Survey are published in the “Report on the Unincorporated Enterprise Survey (Structural Survey).”
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kojinke/index.htm
This survey is designed to provide the basic materials for promoting science and technology in Japan by studying research and development (R&D) activities currently carried out in the country. The data collected include the number of persons employed in R&D and the overall expenditure on R&D.
The survey was initiated in August 1953 as the Basic Statistical Survey of Research Institutions; it was renamed the “Survey of Research and Development” in March 1960, following a major revision of the survey method.
The coverage of this survey was extended to include all companies with a capital of one million yen or more (including public corporations), with the exception of a few industries. The statistical unit for reporting R&D activities was changed from R&D establishments to business enterprises with or without R&D divisions.
Later, from the 1995 survey onward, the survey excluded all companies with a capital of less than ten million yen, with the exception of a few industries.
From the 2002 survey onward, the survey was extensively revised to cover even more industries, along with the introduction of some changes in sampling and the survey items. The aim was to make the survey compatible with recent changes in the R&D environment, such as advances in the activities of non-manufacturing industries and the globalization of R&D activities conducted by businesses.
The survey is conducted every year. The reference date of the survey is March 31 for data pertaining to personnel and capital. For data pertaining to sales, including R&D expenditures, the reference period is the fiscal year ending on the latest settling day prior to March 31.
The survey covers business enterprises, non-profit institutions and public organizations, and universities and colleges. The statistical units are as follows:
(a) Business enterprises
Enterprises
(b) Non-profit institutions and public organizations
Organizations
(c) Universities and colleges
The universities and colleges include faculties of universities and other facilities (including postgraduate courses), junior colleges, technical colleges, research institutes attached to universities, Inter-university Research Institute Corporations, and the Institute of National Colleges of Technology.
The survey covers approximately 13,400 business enterprises, 1,100 non-profit institutions and public organizations, and 3,600 universities and colleges, which makes a total of approximately 18,200 entities. These are selected based on the following criteria:
(a) The business enterprises are divided into 8×40 strata, based on yes/no responses relating to research activities (as determined through the previous survey), capital (8 classes), and industries (40 categories) on the basis of the results of the 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census and the previous survey. The prescribed number of business enterprises is selected from each stratum.
(b) The non-profit institutions and public organizations are surveyed using a list prepared based on reports from the central and local governments.
(c) All universities and colleges in Japan are surveyed using a list compiled with materials provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The Bureau entrusts the questionnaire distribution to a company that mails the questionnaires to three respondents for business enterprises, non-profit institutions and public organizations, and universities and colleges. The completed questionnaires are directly returned to the Bureau by mail or via the Internet. The option of questionnaire collection by Internet has been offered since the 2003 survey.
The survey items are enumerated using three questionnaires: Questionnaire A for business enterprises, Questionnaire B for non-profit institutions and public organizations, and Questionnaire C for universities and colleges. Among business enterprises, Questionnaire A-I is used for enterprises with a capital of 100 million yen or more and special corporations, while Questionnaire A-II is used for enterprises with a capital of less than 100 million yen.
(a) Questionnaires A-I and A-II
(b) Questionnaires B and C
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The major tabulation points are as follows:
The Bureau released the 2010 survey results on December 10, 2010.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kagaku/index.htm
The main aim of the survey is to provide the best possible monthly estimates of sales (income) and the number of persons working in establishments for the service industries and, subsequently, to enhance the accuracy of economic indicators such as Quarterly Estimates (QE) of GDP.
Over the last several decades, the service industries’ share in the Japanese economy has steadily risen to exceed 70% in 2006, in terms of both GDP and employment. However, although some surveys have covered parts of the sector, no single survey has comprehensively covered the entire sector. As a result, the statistics on service industries have been criticized as being insufficient and requiring improvement. Consequently, a new survey was initiated in October 2008 to meet the increasing needs for statistics pertaining to the service industries.
The survey covered establishments whose main industry is classified under the following groups of the Japan Standard Industrial Classification (Rev.12, November 2007):
Division G - Information and communications
Division H - Transport and postal activities
Division K - Real estate, and goods rental and leasing
Division L - Scientific research, professional and technical services
Division M - Accommodation, eating and drinking services
Division N - Living-related and personal services and amusement services
Division O - Education, learning support
Division P - Medical, health care, and welfare
Division R - Services, n.e.c.
The sample size of the survey is about 39,000 establishments in service industries. Stratified random sampling by industry and employment size is used to select approximately 29,000 establishments with 10 or more employees, while random sampling by industry is used to select approximately 10,000 establishments with less than 10 employees.
The sample establishments are surveyed for two consecutive years, divided into two one-year-slide rotation groups, each of which is exchanged in January of every other year, because half of all the samples remain the same for the sake of leveling shifts at the exchange of samples.
The Bureau entrusts the implementation of the survey to research companies. The survey is conducted through the following channels:
(a) Establishments with 10 or more employees
(b) Establishments with less than 10 employees
Approximately 39,000 establishments in service industries are asked to complete the questionnaires every month.
The survey method differs depending on the employment size of the establishment.
* The questionnaire is issued in a hard copy format, but it can be modified into a Web-based questionnaire at the request of respondents.
The survey uses two types of questionnaires: the “questionnaire for the first month” and the “monthly questionnaire.” While the former is to be filled at the beginning of the survey, the latter is used from the second month onward.
(a) Questionnaire for the first month
(b) Monthly questionnaire
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center.
The preliminary survey results are released two months after the survey month.
The final survey results are released five months after the survey month.
In addition, the “Annual Report on the Monthly Survey on Service Industries” is published in the following year.
The results will be published on reports and displayed on the Bureau website.
To obtain basic data for economic indicators such as Quarterly Estimates (QE) of GDP
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/mssi/index.htm
The purpose of the Establishment and Enterprise Census was to collect fundamental data on establishments and enterprises, such as geographical distribution, industrial characteristics, and number of persons employed. The Establishment and Enterprise Census was one of the most important data sources for economic policy planning and regional analyses. It also provided a directory of establishments and enterprises, which could be used as a sample frame for various sample surveys on establishments and enterprises.
The Establishment Census was conducted for the first time in 1947. After the second census was conducted in 1948, it was conducted every three years until 1981. Since then, it was conducted every five years until 2006. New survey items were added to in the 1996 census to keep up with current trends among enterprises engaging in more international and diversified activities, and the name of the census was also changed from the “Establishment Census” to the “Establishment and Enterprise Census.” The survey was terminated in 2006 with the commencement of the Economic Census, which covers all industries.
The census date was generally October 1; however, there were several circumstance-driven exceptions in the census years.
The 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census covered all establishments and enterprises in Japan as of the census date. An establishment was defined, in principle, as a business unit based at one site under a single management. If a business unit operated businesses at different sites, the business unit at each site was regarded as a separate establishment. If two or more business units operated a business at one site, both business units were regarded as a separate establishments. There were, however, exceptions in the case of some industries, based on their particular operational methods. An enterprise in this census was a joint stock company, a limited or unlimited partnership company, a limited liability company, or a mutual insurance company, as defined in terms of the legal organizational status.
The following types of establishments and enterprises were excluded from the 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census:
The 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census consisted of Survey A, covering all private establishments and enterprises, and Survey B, covering all public establishments in both the central and local governments.
(a) Survey A (for private establishments and enterprises) was conducted through the following channels:
(b) Survey B (for public establishments) was conducted through the following channels:
(a) Survey A
Enumerators visited establishments in the enumeration districts (EDs) to which they were assigned and requested the respondents to complete the questionnaire for Survey A. In addition, to supplement and maintain the results of Survey A, a simplified census was conducted within three years of conducting the Establishment and Enterprise Census.
(b) Survey B
In the case of establishments surveyed by the municipalities, the respective municipal mayors were responsible for sending and collecting the questionnaires, while in the case of establishments surveyed by the prefectures, prefectural governors sent and collected the questionnaires. In the case of establishments surveyed by the Bureau, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications was responsible for sending and collecting the questionnaires.
[Enumeration districts (EDs)]
The entire area of Japan was divided into EDs that had been accurately mapped and established during the 1972 Census. Subsequently, the EDs have been partially amended in consecutive censuses to incorporate certain changes. However, the number of establishments in the EDs became distorted to such an extent that it adversely affected the census. Therefore, all the EDs were revised for the 1996 census as of March 1, 1996. This revision aimed at restoring the balance among EDs in terms of the number of establishments, with each ED comprising approximately 30 establishments, providing clear boundaries for EDs, and facilitating statistical links between the Population Census, and the Establishment and Enterprise Census. In the 2006 census, the EDs were established by amending the EDs used in the 2001 Establishment and Enterprise Census.
These EDs provided a basis for census-taking not only for the Establishment and Enterprise Census but also for the Census of Commerce and the Census of Manufacturers conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The EDs were also used in the execution of statistical surveys-in particular, they provided basic area units for compiling small-area statistics and served as the basic sampling frame for various sample surveys on establishments.
Only the most fundamental survey items were investigated through the Establishment and Enterprise Census, and these items have remained essentially unaltered in consecutive censuses, with only a few changes introduced to meet new demands from statistics users. The 2006 census covered the following items:
(a) For all private establishments
(b) For single unit or head establishments of companies
The process of tabulation of the Establishment and Enterprise Census differed from that of the other surveys conducted by the Bureau. In the other surveys, coding and data inputting were carried out by the National Statistics Center; however, for the Establishment and Enterprise Census, industries were coded at the municipal level and data were input at the prefectural level. The statistics divisions of the prefectures then submitted their individual records of establishments to the National Statistics Center on magnetic tape, which was responsible for tabulating the Census results; these are then sent to the Bureau for release and publication.
The major tabulation points of the 2006 census were as follows:
(a) Establishments
(b) Incorporated enterprises
The major results of the 2006 census were published as follows:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jigyou/index.htm
The purpose of the Survey on Service Industries was to provide data on the distribution and structure of establishments engaged in service industries.
The Survey on Service Industries was conducted every five years from 1989 to 2004. The survey was terminated in 2009 with the commencement of the Economic Census, which covers all industries.
The last survey was conducted on June 1, 2004.
The 2004 survey covered the following industries as classified under the Japan Standard Industrial Classification (Rev. 11, March 2002):
Division H - Information and communications
41 - Video pictures, sound information, character information production and distribution (including only the following minor group)
415 - Services incidental to video pictures, sound information, character information production and distribution
Division L - Real estate
69 - Real estate lessors and managers
Division M - Eating and drinking places, accommodation
70 - General eating and drinking places
72 - Accommodation
Division N - Medical, health care, and welfare
73 - Medical and other health services (including only the following minor groups)
734 - Maternity clinics and nursing
735 - Other health practitioners
736 - Services incidental to medical care
74 - Public health and hygiene
75 - Social insurance and social welfare
Division O - Education, learning support
77 - Miscellaneous education, learning support
Division P - Compound services
79 - Cooperative associations, n.e.c.
Division Q - Services, n.e.c.
80 - Professional services, n.e.c.
81 - Scientific and development research institutes
82 - Laundry, beauty, and bath services
83 - Miscellaneous living-related and personal services (excluding 832 Domestic services)
84 - Services for amusement and hobbies
85 - Waste disposal business
86 - Automobile maintenance services
87 - Machine, etc., repair services, except where otherwise classified
88 - Goods rental and leasing
89 - Advertising
90 - Miscellaneous business services
91 - Political, business, and cultural organizations
92 - Religion
93 - Miscellaneous services
The sample size of the 2004 survey was around 430,000 establishments. These establishments were selected based on the following criteria:
The 2004 survey was conducted through the following channels:
In the 2004 survey, the enumerators delivered the survey questionnaires to the establishments in their respective designated areas and subsequently collected the completed questionnaires, which were filled in by the designated persons of the establishments.
The 2004 survey covered the following items:
The Bureau entrusted the data processing to the National Statistics Center.
The major statistical tables of the 2004 survey were as follows:
The results of the 2004 survey were estimated in terms of a ratio estimate, using the number of establishments in the 2004 Establishment and Enterprise Census by prefecture, minor industry group, and type of legal organization as benchmarks.
The results of the 2004 survey were published in the following volumes:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/service/index.htm
The establishment frame database is a database with information on all the establishments and enterprises operating in Japan. Its main objectives are to produce precise and efficient statistics and to reduce the burden on surveyed establishments and enterprises. The information on establishments and enterprises that is recorded in the database is utilized in sampling for surveys conducted by the ministries and administrative agencies. Moreover, the database also records the number of times each establishment and enterprise is surveyed, thus preventing any unfairness of burden.
In terms of the precision and efficiency of the survey, the Bureau maintains a database containing administrative information and data from other surveys, and if necessary, the Bureau can directly contact establishments and enterprises. Furthermore, the database is capable of producing new types of statistics by combining the various survey data and administrative information.
Based on these operations and functions, the database will play a key role in the future industrial surveys.
In the mid-1980s and through the 1990s, many Western countries constructed new databases called “Business Registers” that could generate precise statistics with minimal expenditure. During the same time, the Japanese government treated compiling an establishment frame as an urgent theme.
Based on these circumstances, Article 27 (1) of the new Statistics Act, which came into force in April 2009, places the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications in charge of constructing and managing the establishment frame database.
In the fiscal year of 2010, the Statistics Commission received the first annual report of the enforcement of the new Statistics Act. Based on this report, the Statistics Commission expressed concern about the construction and application of the database, and this opinion was sent to the concerned minister. Hence, it is widely expected that the database will be used for many purposes.
In addition to the survey items of the Economic Census, the Bureau stores fundamental data, such as the name of an establishment or enterprise, its address, industrial classification, number of persons employed, and revenue (or income.) Moreover, the Bureau can store data that are extracted from other industrial surveys and closely related to the Economic Census, which are in high demand.
At present, the Bureau is planning the functions of the database before starting its construction; the main functions of the database are as follows.
1. To provide the establishment frame
This is a key function of the database. When any ministry or administrative agency decides to conduct a survey, it needs basic information regarding establishments and enterprises for the sampling. The database could provide data in this regard, and the Bureau should maintain such a database from other surveys and administrative information in order to provide precise data whenever such need arises.
2. To reduce the burden on respondents
If each establishment or enterprise has to shoulder multiple surveys, not only is the establishment or enterprise heavily burdened, but it is also possible that there will be a shortage of respondents, leading to the depreciation of statistics. In order to avoid these consequences, the government should prevent overburdening of respondents and spread out the surveys over as wide a group of respondents as possible.
The database maintains the number of times each establishment and enterprise has been surveyed. Hence, it can be used to ensure that no establishment or enterprise is burdened to an unfair extent.
3. To generate new statistics
By combining the data collected from various surveys and the administrative information received from other ministries and administrative agencies, it is possible that the ministries and administrative agencies can generate new statistics, compare data with time lines, and compile regional statistics from geographical information.
The Bureau conducts five sample surveys concerning household income and expenditure as well as prices.
The Bureau also compiles the Consumer Price Index (CPI) using the results of the Retail Price Survey and the Family Income and Expenditure Survey as weights. The five surveys and the CPI are outlined below.
The Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) aims to provide comprehensive data regarding the income and expenditure of households on a monthly basis.
The first Family Budget Survey was conducted in 1926. Since it was initially a regular survey, it was conducted annually from 1931 to 1943.
After a brief hiatus during World War II, the Consumer Price Survey (CPS) was introduced in 1946 to collect monthly data on household expenditure and item-by-item purchases as well as purchase prices. However, since this survey covered only the outflow of money in the household economy and lacked data regarding income, the Family Income Survey (FIS) was introduced in 1948, which surveyed only the income-related data of households, independently of the CPS.
In 1950, the CPS and the FIS were combined to form a single survey called the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES), the original version of the present survey. However, this survey covered only urban areas with a sample size of approximately 4,200 households selected from 28 major cities. In 1962, the sample size was expanded to cover the entire country and consisted of approximately 8,000 households from 168 sample municipalities. In 2002, the FIES incorporated one-person households, which had been independently surveyed by the Income and Expenditure Survey for One-person Households from 1995 until 2001, and introduced survey items regarding savings and liabilities (only for households of two or more persons). The sample size of the FIES, consequently, has been enlarged to include approximately 9,000 households.
This survey on the daily income and expenditure of households is carried out for six months for households comprising two or more persons. For one-person households, however, the survey is conducted for three months. The survey on yearly income refers to the one year prior to the first survey month, and the survey on savings and liabilities refers to the first day of the third survey month.
The survey unit includes households residing throughout Japan, except one-person student households. The following households, however, are excluded from the survey:
The FIES covers all households in Japan. The number of households involved in this survey was estimated at around 48 million as of 2005.
The survey employs a three-stage stratified sampling method. The sampling units in the three stages are the municipalities, unit areas consisting of two neighboring enumeration districts (EDs) of the Population Census, and households.
The first stage of the selection involves the 168 municipalities. Subsequently, the following numbers of unit areas are selected for each municipality, depending on its size:
Larger numbers of unit areas are allocated for the 23 wards that make up the centre of Tokyo and the cities of Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Naha.
In the third stage, in each sample unit area, six households are selected randomly from among households comprising two or more persons, while one household is selected from among the one-person households. The former households are surveyed for six months, while the latter are surveyed for three months. The overall sample size is approximately 9,000 households.
The FIES is conducted through the following channels:
In the FIES, enumerators provide a family account book to the sample households and request them to record all their receipts and disbursements in the book (the sample households of individual proprietors, corporative administrators, and professional service operators are not required to report receipts). The quantity of purchase of items such as food and household durable goods is also recorded. Moreover, the enumerators prepare a “household schedule” based on their interviews with the household representatives, and the households are requested to report their yearly income. In addition, all households consisting of two or more persons are requested to report their savings and liabilities as of the first day of the third survey month.
The FIES surveys the following items:
(a) Household schedule
(b) Family account book
(c)Yearly income schedule
(d)Savings schedule
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center.
The Center summarizes receipts and disbursements according to the classification system adopted for the survey. It tabulates data on income, expenditure, and quantity of purchase in the form of average figures per household per month.
The results are tabulated as statistics for the following household characteristics:
Preliminary reports on the income and expenditure of households comprising two or more persons are published on a monthly basis at the end of the month following the survey; these are then reported at cabinet meetings.
Preliminary reports on one-person households as well as all the households (aggregates of one-person households and households comprising two or more persons) are published on a quarterly basis, approximately a month-and-a-half after the survey month.
The results for the savings and liabilities of households comprising two or more persons are also published on a quarterly basis five months after the survey month.
Annual average figures are published in the “Annual Report on the Family Income and Expenditure Survey.”
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kakei/index.htm
The National Survey of Family Income and Expenditure (NSFIE) is a large-scale quinquennial sample survey. It aims to collect and compile comprehensive data on household income; expenditure; savings; loans; major durable goods owned by the household; and the status of dwellings, houses, and land owned by the household on a regional as well as nationwide basis.
[Comparison with the FIES]
Although there is a similar survey called the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES), which is conducted on a monthly basis, its main object is to reveal nationwide household trends in average family income and expenditure over time. Since the sample size of this survey is as small as 9,000 families, the monthly survey is not appropriate for performing detailed cross-section analyses. On the other hand, the present NSFIE is designed to sample approximately 57,000 households (including 4,400 one-person households), hence enabling detailed analyses based on various household characteristics such as income group, household age group, etc. and geographical areas such as regions, prefectures, etc., which are beyond the scope of the monthly survey.
The survey has been conducted every five years since 1959. The 11th survey was conducted in 2009.
This survey was carried out in the months of September, October, and November. For one-person households, however, the survey was conducted in October and November, and the survey on pocket money given to household members aged 18 years or above was conducted for one month during the survey period. The survey on major durable goods owned by households had the reference date of October 31, while that on savings and loans has the reference date of November 30. The following explanation is based on the method used for the 2009 survey.
The 2009 NSFIE utilized a sample of approximately 52,400 households comprising two or more persons and 4,400 one-person households.
The sample universe of the survey comprises all households residing in Japan; however, the following types of household were excluded:
(a) For households comprising two or more persons
(b) For one-person households
The sampling method for the NSFIE has been essentially the same since its inception. The sampling is carried out separately for households comprising two or more persons and for one-person households.
For households comprising two or more persons, the sampling method is a combination of two- and three-stage stratified sampling. In the urban areas (cities), all 784 cities are surveyed using a two-stage sampling method, the primary sampling unit being unit areas consisting of two enumeration districts of the Population Census and the secondary sampling unit being households. From each unit area, 12 households are selected at random. At least 24 sample households are allocated to each city. A three-stage sampling method is utilized in the non-urban areas (towns and villages), wherein 219 of all 998 towns and villages in Japan are selected by stratified sampling. Subsequently, in the sample towns and villages, a two-stage sampling method is utilized to select households in the same way as in the urban areas. The 2009 survey sampled a total number of 52,400 households, indicating a sampling ratio of around 1:660.
For one-person households, sample households are selected randomly from the same sample unit areas as households comprising two or more persons. The total sample for one-person households was 4,402 for the entire country.
The 2009 NSFIE was conducted through the following channels:
In this survey, the enumerators distributed a family account book among all sample households and requested them to record all receipts and disbursements in the book. The family account books were of two types: “Family Account Book A” and “Family Account Book B”; the respondents had to enter accounts of their income and expenditure in the former, while they had to enter the type of goods purchased in the latter, in addition to account of their income and expenditure. The survey for Family Account Book A was conducted in September and October, while that for Family Account Book B was conducted in November. Moreover, the “Durable Goods Questionnaire” was completed by the survey households and collected by enumerators at the end of October, while the “Yearly Income and Savings Questionnaire” was completed by the survey households at the end of November. The survey households were also requested to complete the “Household Questionnaire” on September 1, in the case of households comprising two or more persons, and on October 1 in the case of one-person households. In addition, households in the EDs designated by the Bureau could fill in questionnaires via an electronic information processing system with telecommunication lines connecting the Bureau’s computers with those of the households.
The survey consisted of the following items:
(a) Family account book
(b)Yearly income and savings questionnaire
(c) Durable goods questionnaire
(d) Pocket money book
(e) Households questionnaire
The Bureau entrusted the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center.
The results of the 2009 survey are published in consecutive provisional reports, followed by the final reports as listed below:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/zensho/index.htm
The Survey of Household Economy (SHE), which was initiated in October 2001, investigates household purchases of expensive and infrequently purchased goods and services on a monthly basis using a large sample (30,000 households) to supplement the FIES (around 9,000 households). The survey also collects data on the purchase and ownership of information and communication technology (ICT) related goods and services and the use of the Internet to monitor trends in ICT-related consumption and ICT use.
The implementation of this survey is based on the Prime Minister’s instructions issued in February 2000, namely, that “It is crucial to establish economic statistics that can adequately monitor movements in times of conspicuous changes in the economic structure. As such, further improvements should be made in order to swiftly and accurately grasp the actual conditions of consumption and investment.”
From January 1 to February 28, 2001, the Bureau conducted the “Pilot Survey for Grasping Personal Consumption Trends in IT-related Consumption and Large Consumption.” After “the Council for the implementation of the new personal consumption survey” had considered the implementation of the survey, the survey was conducted as the “Survey of Household Economy” from October 2001 onward.
The SHE uses two questionnaires (A and B); the survey using Questionnaire B covers one year, while that using Questionnaire A refers to the 15th day of the first month of the survey.
The survey employs a sample of 30,000 households in the whole of Japan. The following households, however, are excluded from the survey:
This survey employs a two-stage stratified sampling method, wherein the entire country is stratified according to region and city population. The primary sampling unit corresponds with the enumeration district (EDs) of the Population Census, and the secondary sampling unit is the household. The survey selects a total of 3,000 EDs and 10 households-including one one-person household-at random from each ED. The overall sample size is 30,000 households.
The SHE is conducted through the following channels:
The Bureau is in charge of planning and conducting this survey, including arranging for the required documents and supervising the survey work of the private survey organization.
The sample households are requested to complete Questionnaire A once a year at the beginning of the survey month and Questionnaire B every month for one year. Questionnaires A and B are delivered by the enumerators. While the enumerators collect Questionnaire A and B early in the second month of the survey, they collect Questionnaire B in the survey’s sixth month; the remaining questionnaires are dispatched by mail.
The following items are surveyed:
(a) Questionnaire A
(b) Questionnaire B
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The results are tabulated as statistics for the following items:
The results are published approximately a month-and-a-half after the survey month. The annual average figures are published in the “Annual Report on the Survey of Household Economy.”
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/joukyou/index.htm
The Retail Price Survey (RPS) is conducted on a nationwide basis to obtain data pertaining to the prices of commodities and services, which are important elements of consumer expenditure.
The survey was started in 1950 as an authorized component of the Fundamental Statistics. Until 1961, the survey covered only urban areas, but since 1962, its coverage has been expanded to include rural areas. The number of items covered by this survey has also increased.
The survey comprises the price survey, the rent survey, and the lodging charge survey.
For the price survey, the prices collected refer to the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of the week that includes the 12th day of the survey month. With regard to fresh foods and cut flowers, prices are collected three times a month-on the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of the weeks including the 5th, 12th, and 22nd day of the survey month.
The days of reference for the rent survey include the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of the week containing the 12th day of the survey month.
The days of reference for the lodging charge survey include the Friday and Saturday of the week containing the 5th day of the month.
(a) Price survey
The survey covers the retail prices of approximately 730 commodities and services at around 26,000 outlets in 167 municipalities, i.e., cities, towns, and villages.
(b) Rent survey
The survey covers the monthly rents and total floor space of approximately 25,000 rental houses in which households reside in 167 municipalities.
(c) Lodging charge survey
The survey covers the per-night accommodation charges at approximately 530 hotels, including Japanese-style inns in 101 municipalities
The price and rent surveys are conducted in 167 selected municipalities, with reference to the economic sectors, prefectural populations, and geographical features, while the lodging charge survey is carried out in 101 municipalities selected from cities with prefectural governments and tourist spots.
(a) Price survey
Around 590 price survey districts are chosen in the selected municipalities. The prices are collected from stores surveyed within the survey districts.
(b) Rent survey
At total of 1,221 rent survey districts, equivalent to the EDs of the Population Census, are chosen by sampling with a probability proportional to size by the selected municipalities. The survey covers all the households residing in rental houses in the survey districts.
(c) Lodging charge survey
The survey covers hotels and Japanese-style inns that have large numbers of guests in selected municipalities.
The survey is conducted through the following channels:
(a) Survey by enumerators
(b) Survey by the prefectural authorities
(c) Survey by the Bureau
Prefectural officials who are designated as “supervisors” oversee the fieldwork of the enumerators and are responsible for collecting the prices of certain items. A total of 131 supervisors and 744 enumerators are appointed for the RPS; the enumerators are appointed in each sample city, town, and village.
(a) Survey by enumerators
Before starting the survey, enumerators receive data pertaining to the survey items and their specifications from the Bureau. Subsequently, the enumerators visit outlets or households, collect prices through interviews, and record them using portable equipment such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). After entering the collected prices into PDAs, the enumerators send the data to the Bureau through the telecommunication lines of their homes on the designated days.
(b) Survey by prefectural authorities
Prefectural officials survey prices through interviews.
(c) Survey by the Bureau
The Bureau officials survey prices through interviews.
The survey covers the prices of approximately 530 goods and services, after designating detailed common specifications and units for individual items sold throughout the country. The prices collected are the normal retail prices, thus excluding temporarily reduced prices due to events such as clearance sales.
(a) Price survey
The survey covers retail prices of commodities and services.
[Items surveyed by enumerators]
[Items surveyed by the prefectural governments]
Water charges, hospital charges, etc., the prices of which are almost uniform in each prefecture or city, town, and village
[Items surveyed by the Bureau]
Railway fares, electricity, etc., the prices of which are uniform nationwide or within a region
(b) Rent survey
The survey covers monthly rents and the total floor space of rental properties.
(c) Lodging charges survey
The survey collects the accommodation charges for two persons for one night on a weekday and on the day before a holiday, which are then converted to charges per person.
The Bureau entrusts the following tabulation to the National Statistics Center:
The survey results are released on the Friday of the week containing the 26th day of each month, in principle; these include the retail prices for the preceding month in cities with prefectural governments and populations of 150,000 or more and in the Ku-area of Tokyo (23 wards that make up the center of Tokyo) as well as the nationwide uniform prices and charges for the current month.
The survey results are published in the “Annual Report on the Retail Price Survey.”
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/kouri/index.htm
The National Survey of Prices is a large-scale quinquennial survey that aims to study the actual price differentials among outlets, brands, regions, etc. by surveying not only the prices of goods and services that are important objects of consumer spending but also the factors that influence price decisions, including the types and locations of outlets.
[Comparison with the RPS]
Although the monthly Retail Price Survey (RPS) covers a similar aspect, its main object is to reveal price trends and obtain the basic data for the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Since the sample size is as small as about 30,000, the monthly survey is not appropriate for conducting detailed cross-section analyses. In contrast, the National Survey of Prices is designed to sample about 137,000 outlets, thus enabling detailed structural analyses based on various price differentials, such as attributes of outlets, brands, regions, and so on.
The survey was initiated in 1967 and was carried out in 1971, 1974, and 1977. After 1977, the survey interval was extended to five years, and the 2007 survey was the 10th. The survey method has essentially remained unchanged since its inception.
The survey was carried out as of Wednesday, November 21, 2007. The following explanations are based on the 2007 survey.
The survey covered retail outlets, establishments serving food and, drinks, service establishments, etc. in the municipalities surveyed.
(a) Municipalities
The survey covered all cities with a population of 100,000 or more, including the wards (ku) in Tokyo, based on the results of the Population Census as of October 1, 2005. The survey also covered 410 selected municipalities with a population of less than 100,000.
(b) Retail outlets, establishments serving food and drinks, service establishments, etc.
[Retail outlets]
The survey selected approximately 137,000 outlets from the municipalities surveyed and grouped them into two types: large-scale outlets and small-scale outlets, depending on the total sales floor space, industrial classification, and type of outlet.
The outlets were selected from the preliminary list of outlets used in the 2007 Census of Commerce (conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).
[Establishments serving food and drinks, service establishments]
The Bureau first selected establishments from the 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census (conducted by the MIC) by industrial classification; thereafter, each municipality selected the establishments to be surveyed from the above establishments.
Since it was difficult to select the survey items based on the establishments’ industrial classification, the concerned municipality selected the establishments to be surveyed using the materials and data of related organizations. Approximately 65,000 establishments were surveyed nationwide.
[Companies providing wide-area services, online/mail-order sales companies, hotels, and golf courses]
About 2,200 companies providing wide-area services and online/mail-order sales companies, about 400 hotels and ryokan (Japanese-style inns), and about 400 golf courses were selected nationwide.
The survey was conducted through the following channels:
(a) Retail outlets
(in case of some chain stores)
(b) Establishments serving food and drinks, service establishments
(c) Companies providing wide-area services, online/mail-order sales companies, hotels, and golf courses
(a) Retail outlets
The enumerators delivered the questionnaires to the designated outlets. Every outlet representative was requested to fill in two types of questionnaires: one requesting basic information on the outlet and the other requesting the prices of commodities sold there. Some outlets were also requested to report prices every day in the week of the survey and the lowest prices in the month for certain items to obtain the discount prices. The prices to report were designated for each outlet according to their industrial classification and the type of outlet. After the representatives of the outlets completed the questionnaires, the enumerators collected them.
The Bureau surveyed the company headquarters of some chain stores providing wide-area services. The Bureau mailed questionnaires to the company headquarters (including electronic questionnaires stored on electronic media) and collected the completed forms. In addition, the companies were able to use the Online Survey System of the Inter-Ministry Information System for Official Statistics (IMISOS)
(b) Establishments serving food and drinks, service establishments
Municipal officials interviewed the representatives of the designated establishments to complete the questionnaires for service charges and fees.
(c) Companies providing wide-area services, online/mail-order sales companies, hotels, and golf courses
The survey was conducted using two methods. With regard to companies providing wide-area services, officials of the Bureau interviewed the representatives of the designated establishments and completed the relevant questionnaires for service charges and fees. With regard to online/mail-order sales companies, officials of the Bureau mailed the relevant questionnaires for online/mail-order sales and those for online/mail-order sales prices to the designated companies, and their representatives completed these questionnaires and mailed them back to the Bureau. In addition to submitting the completed questionnaires by mail, the representatives of the companies could make use of the Online Survey System of the IMISOS.
The survey covered the following items:
(a) Items concerning the basic attributes of outlets
(b) Items concerning prices of goods and services
The survey selected 180 items from among the goods and services that are regarded as important to consumers and collected the ordinary prices of these items on Wednesday, November 21, 2007-the survey date. The survey also collected the lowest price during the preceding month and daily prices from Thursday, November 15 to Wednesday, November 21 for 20 of the 180 items.
The survey items were divided into three groups as follows:
a) Items surveyed at retail outlets: 141 items
b) Items surveyed at establishments serving food and drinks, service establishments, and companies
providing wide-area services: 39 items
c) Items surveyed at online/mail-order companies: 24 items
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The results are tabulated as follows:
(a) Average prices and distribution of prices by basic attribute of outlets
(b) Number of outlets and establishments by basic attribute of outlets
(c) Regional difference index of prices
The reports of the 2007 survey were published in the following four volumes:
In addition, Internet users can access all the detailed statistical tables on the Internet, which are available in the form of electronic records, for analysis and processing.
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/zenbutu/index.htm
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) aims to measure the average price change in the purchases of goods and services by households nationwide and reflects changes in the cost of goods and services purchased in a fixed market basket. The CPI is one of the key indicators of current economic conditions and is reported monthly at the cabinet meeting.
The compilation of the CPI began in 1946. In those days, both price data and weight data were obtained from the Consumer Price Survey (CPS), the predecessor of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES). Fisher formula was used to compute the CPI.
In 1950, the CPS was replaced by the FIES and the Retail Price Survey (RPS), which together form the fundamental data source for the present CPI. Computation of the CPI based on the two surveys using a Laspeyres formula commenced in 1952, with 1951 considered as the base period.
Since 1955, the base period of the CPI has been renewed every five years. Following the extension of FIES and RPS coverage from urban areas to the entire country, the CPI coverage was also extended from 1965 onward.
The CPI is calculated as a set of indices with the annual average price of the calendar year 2010 regarded as 100, using the expenditure weights of the calendar year 2010.
As the CPI is designed to measure price changes that affect the consumption lives of households, its scope covers household living expenditures (although religious contributions, donations, monetary gifts, other obligatory fees, and remittances are excluded from the scope of the CPI).
Consequently, the CPI covers neither non-living expenditures (such as income taxes and social insurance premiums) nor disbursements other than expenditures (such as savings, security purchases, and property purchases of land and houses).
As regards the housing cost of owner-occupied dwellings, the survey applied the rental equivalence approach (imputed rent).
The following explanation refers to the CPI with the 2010 base. The method of computing the CPI has remained more or less unchanged over the years.
Computing the CPI requires two sets of data: prices and weights. Prices are obtained mainly from the RPS, and weights, mainly from the FIES. The weights are based on consumer expenditures in 2010. Those expenditures that are not regarded as consumption-related are excluded (e.g., property purchases, direct tax and social security payments, transfers of money to other households). Weights are assigned to the 588 (as of January 2010) items representing goods and services consumed by consumer households, as well as to 167 municipalities representing the entire country.
Generally, prices are averaged per municipality per month. The index is calculated as the base-year-weighted arithmetic mean of prices relative to base prices (i.e., the Laspeyres formula) as shown below.
The following indices are compiled at the National Statistics Center to meet various requirements:
(a) Indices by basic classification
All-item and sub-indexes for basic expenditure groups and geographical areas
(b) Indices by goods and services classification
Sub-indexes for goods and services groups
(c) Indices aggregated based on baskets of specific household groups and indices by characteristics of items
(d) Supplementary indices
* Note: The official CPI refers to households comprising two or more persons.
The monthly consumer price index is released, in principle, at 8:30 a.m. on the Friday of the week that contains the 26th day of each month. On this day, the index figures of the preceding month are released for the entire country, as are the preliminary figures of the current month for the 23 wards that make up the centre of Tokyo. The average index figures for the calendar year and the fiscal year are released with monthly figures for December and March, respectively. The following reports are published:
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/cpi/index.htm
The Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities aims to obtain comprehensive data on daily patterns of time allocation and leisure activities.
This survey provides statistics that cannot be obtained from any of the other surveys, all of which focus almost exclusively on the economic aspects of living. The statistics obtained from this survey make it possible to observe the lifestyles of various groups and their preferences for certain activities over others, which may improve the interpretation and understanding of various social and economic phenomena. This survey also provides important background information on the economic conditions in Japan.
The survey was first carried out in 1976 and has been conducted every five years. The 8th survey will be conducted in 2011.
Since the 2001 survey, in addition to Questionnaire A (pre-coding system), which takes the same form as the questionnaires in the former surveys, Questionnaire B (after-coding system) has been introduced to obtain more detailed results concerning people’s time allocation.
The reference date for the 2011 survey is October 20 for the basic characteristics of persons and households. For data on time use, however, reference dates have been selected from several days including the reference date, because the pattern of time use varies according to the day of the week. For this reason, the sample of the 2011 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 October 15 to 23.
This survey covers the household members of approximately 84,000 households living in the sampled dwellings in the designated enumeration districts (EDs); these households are selected by the prefectural governors in the manner prescribed by the Bureau.The following persons, however, are excluded from the survey:
The sample is selected through a two-stage stratified sampling method, with the primary sampling unit being the EDs of the Population Census and the secondary sampling unit being the household.
First, the entire country is divided into regions of 47 prefectures, from which a total of 7,000 sample EDs are selected. Approximately 84,000 households are selected from lists of households in the selected EDs; the enumerators prepare these lists before the survey. All persons aged 10 years and above in the sample households are requested to respond to the survey, which means a total of approximately 200,000 persons.
The 2011 survey will be conducted through the following channels:
The enumerators deliver the questionnaires to each survey household, collect the completed questionnaires, and interview the household members as necessary.
The questionnaires are completed either by household members aged 10 years and above or by the head of the household, who also answers questions asked by the enumerators.
In addition, in the EDs designated by the Bureau, households can fill in the questionnaires via an electronic information processing system with telecommunication lines connecting their own computers with those of the Bureau.
The 2011 survey covers the following topics:
Two questionnaires are used to record the time use during a single day: Questionnaire A adopts a pre-coding method, while Questionnaire B is designed to elucidate more details regarding time use (via the diary or after-coding method). Questionnaire A is used for approximately 6,600 of the 7,000 EDs, and Questionnaire B is used for the remaining 400 EDs.
The survey also identifies several characteristics of individuals and households.
To obtain data on the time use for each day, the enumerators deliver schedules for recording time use every quarter of an hour to the respondents. Subsequently, the enumerators collect the completed schedules, along with other questionnaires concerning the respondents’ participation in leisure activities.
The Bureau entrusts the survey’s data processing to the National Statistics Center. The results are tabulated as statistics for the following characteristics:
Characteristics of individuals:
Characteristics of households:
A report containing the 2011 survey results will be published in 2013; the report will cover the following characteristics:
(a) Report of Questionnaire A
(b) Report of Questionnaire B
http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/shakai/index.htm
