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Japan’s System of Social and Demographic Statistics is a system by which statistical data from a wide range of fields are collected, normalized, and organized. The System describes the lives of Japanese people in a number of fields. The System is designed to provide basic data that are useful for formulating various administrative programs, for policy-making, and for analyses of regional differences. It was introduced by the Bureau in the fiscal year 1976.
The System is based on the System of Social and Demographic Statistics (SSDS), which is recognized by the United Nations. What characterizes the System as it is applied in Japan is that the data are organized for each prefecture (recognizable by the suffixes to, do, fu, and ken) and municipality (recognizable by the suffixes shi , ku, machi, and mura), thus enabling regional comparisons and analyses.
Using the System, basic data are collected for 13 fields from “A. Population and Households” to “M. Daily Time.” There are about 2,800 items of basic data collected at the level of the prefectures, about 20 data items are collected specifically for municipalities categorized as shi and ku, and about 1,380 for municipalities categorized as shi, ku, machi, and mura (as of fiscal year 2010). These are collected by the Bureau and the National Statistics Center, as well as by the prefectures themselves.
Data organized in the System are disseminated via the Portal Site of Official Statistics of Japan (e-Stat) and through publications.
(a) e-Stat
Statistical indices compiled by Japan’s SSDS are stored in the Regional Statistics Analysis System (RSAS), and can be browsed in the form of tables and charts through e-Stat (See also Chapter IV for more detail).
(b) Publications
Data organized in the System are used for the following:
(a) Compiling social indicators (e.g. People’s Life Indicators compiled by the Cabinet Office)
(b) By research institutes, universities and colleges, etc.
(c) As base data for compiling welfare indicators by region
(d) For investigating and improving social statistics
Grid-Square Statistics are small-area statistics compiled on the basis of square-area units of nearly uniform size, demarcated along longitude and latitude. Statistics compiled on the basis of conventional area units such as municipalities have shortcomings, because the size and boundaries of such areas might be subject to change over time, and because they are generally too large for detailed analyses, or are not uniform enough for convenient processing.
The Bureau compiles Grid-Square Statistics for the Population Census (since 1970) and the Establishment and Enterprise Census 〔1947-2006〕 (since 1975). Moreover, the Grid-Square Statistics that link the results of these two censuses are also used for calculating the daytime population.
To compile Grid-Square Statistics, the entire land area of Japan is divided into square areas of nearly equal size, based on longitudinal lines drawn at every 1/80 degree and latitudinal lines drawn at every 1/120 degree. The areas thus defined are nearly equal to 1 square kilometer in the range of latitudes where Japan is located. This grid-square is called the Basic Grid-Square.
In addition to the Basic Grid-Square, a smaller grid-square called a Half Grid-Square is installed. The Half Grid-Square is demarcated by dividing a Basic Grid-Square into four equal parts towards longitude and latitude.
(a) The grid-squares are segmented by almost the same size and shape of partition, so it is easy to measure and compare inter-grid-square characteristics.
(b) As the location and partition of the grid-squares are fixed, it is easy to compare regional characteristics in time-series without being affected by changes in administrative boundaries of local municipalities, or changes in the demarcation of EDs due to geographical changes, etc.
(c) It is easy to obtain data for a required area by collating the related grid-square data.
(d) As the grid-squares are almost partitioned in squares by longitude and latitude, it is easy to clearly identify the location, and this facilitates analysis, calculation, and comparison related to distance.
The results compiled are published in three formats: magnetic tape, CD-R, and statistical maps.
Grid-Square Statistics of the 2005 Population Census (Japanese Geodetic Data 2005),
Total Population (Half Grid-Square) in the 23 wards that make up Tokyo
Along with the establishment of the Basic Unit Blocks (BUBs), the Census Mapping System (CMS), using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, was introduced for the 1990 Population Census. The Bureau developed the CMS to enable more geographically sophisticated use of statistical data on BUBs.
The major functions of the CMS include storing and maintaining digitized information on the boundaries of BUBs/EDs, and compiling small-area statistics such as those by cho/aza (blocks and other sub-divisions of municipalities). Another important function of the CMS is to show different small-area statistical data in the form of maps.
The CMS is expected to be applied in many fields. The Bureau uses the CMS for the following activities:
(a) Providing support for taking censuses and sample surveys
(b) Compiling small-area statistics
(c) Using a municipality’s administrative subdivisions
Since April 1996, the Bureau and the Director-General for Policy Planning have provided a variety of statistical information on its website ( http://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.htm).
This website provides a guide to the Bureau, the Director-General for Policy Planning, and the Statistical Research and Training Institute. This website also provides information concerning the official statistics system, statistical data collected by the bureau, and links to statistical sources of other ministries, etc. The top page of the website is shown below (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The top page of the Bureau’s Website
The Japanese government has promoted “e-government” as a part of administrative reform. For this purpose, the Japanese government decided to implement a plan called “The Optimization of Operations and Systems. ” Under this plan, the system followed by each individual ministry is to be centralized and the operation itself is to be extensively restructured, in order to curtail public expenditure, reduce work load, and improve public services.
Based on this plan, “The Optimization of Operations and Systems for Statistical Work” was adopted in March 2006, to curtail public statistical expenditure, reduce work load, improve public statistical services, and centralize the statistical information system, which each ministry had previously operated and maintained independently.
Under this action plan, the statistical information systems of different ministries were integrated into a single system for all ministries, which is known as the “ Inter-Ministry Information System for Official Statistics (IMISOS).”
IMISOS was designed and developed, through an initiative of the Bureau and an operation-test was held from May 2006 to March 2008. Subsequently IMISOS was launched in April 2008.
This system provides 1) A ‘One-Stop-Service’ for various statistical uses; 2) United management and sampling of the population information; 3) Online statistical surveys by various ministries.
As shown below (Figure 2), IMISOS consists of 13 subsystems. People and enterprises access the system through the Internet; whereas, ministries and local governments access the system through Kasumigaseki-WAN (a Wide Area Network linking government ministries located in the central district of Kasumigaseki) and a Local Government Wide Area Network (LGWAN).
However, the entire management and operation of IMISOS has been entrusted to the National Statistics Center as a government management agency for streamlining and simplifying governmental work. This is an added advantage of the system.
Figure 2: Image of IMISOS
The point of e-Stat and e-Survey that is the main subsystem is shown below.
The “Portal Site of Official Statistics of Japan (e-Stat)” aims to provide a ‘One-Stop-Service’ for statistical information. The e-Stat site collects and integrates statistical information from the websites of all ministries, and provides it via the e-Stat system.
Figure 3: The top page of e-Stat (http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/eStatTopPortalE.do)
The main functions of e-Stat are as follows:
Users are able to search, browse and download statistical tables which ministries have made available. Users may not only search by keyword, theme, and ministries, but are also able to draw out statistical tables and graphs from databases, which are compiled from statistical survey results.
Users are able to experience statistical data in the form of visual images, for example figures and graphs displayed on a map, etc.
The main functions are shown below.
(a) Japan in Figures and Graphs
Users are able to grasp the latest statistical indices by number and graph, because e-Stat automatically updates the statistical indices with every release.
Figure 4: Image of “statistical indices by looking through figures and graphs”
(b) Regional Statistics
Users can browse principal data such as population and the total land area of each prefecture and municipality in detail. Users can also express these respectively in terms of prefecture and municipality. Besides that, users can make up a graph from the principal data by extracting data for different items and districts.
Figure 5: Image of Regional Statistics Table
(c) Thematic Map (Statistic GIS; Japanese only)
Users are able to display a variety of statistical information on the map, and download such data and statistical values. Moreover, this function allows users to easily grasp the situation concerning the merger of municipalities.
Figure 6: image of Statistic GIS (Japanese)
Figure 7: Image of a merger of municipalities (Japanese)
(d) Learn metadata (Japanese only)
Users can search Statistical Classifications such as the “Japan Standard Industrial Classification,” and the “Japan Standard Occupational Classification” etc.
Also, users can search statistical terms, the name or code of municipalities, the topics surveyed and their definitions.
Figure 8: Result of searching topics surveyed (Japanese)
Users are able to look over the statistical system of Japan, and access the latest results of the statistical surveys of Japanese ministries. Also, users can search through the key statistical contents of the ministries’ websites.
For the statistical surveys conducted by ministries, the “e-survey” system makes it possible for people and enterprises to conveniently respond from their homes or offices via the Internet. The OSS operates under a substantial security system.
Thanks to the “e-survey,” survey respondents have the advantage of being able to respond to surveys regardless of their lifestyle or working schedule. Not only that, but ministries can reduce their operations via the “e-survey” function, for example by automatically checking errors such as entries that have been omitted from the questionnaire.
The “Monthly Survey on Service Industries” (MIC), “Social Education Survey” (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), and “Fisheries Census” (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) have already been partly conducted via this online survey system. Henceforth, the e-survey system will be introduced to additional surveys.
<<Answering process for survey respondents by “e-survey”>>
When survey respondents respond to the survey via the e-survey, the process will proceed as follows. For the same, the respondents' answers are encrypted by SSL:
(a) Login by entering the ID and identification code
(b) Download the electronic questionnaire from OSS
(c) Complete the questionnaire responses
(d) Save the electronic data of the questionnaire (can be saved with password)
(e) Send the electronic data of the questionnaire to OSS
(f) Receive confirmation of the acceptance of the electronic data of the questionnaire from OSS
Figure 9: Showing the “e-survey” response process
Figure 10: Top page of e-survey (left, Japanese) and image of the electronic questionnaire (right, Japanese)
[Other 11 subsystems of IMISOS]
Other than e-Stat and e-Survey there are 11 other subsystems in IMISOS. Their outlines are shown below:
![[Other 11 subsystems of IMISOS]](img/chap4_13.jpg)
The new framework for the secondary use of official statistics in Japan was founded, as the new Statistics Act of Japan came into effect in April 2009. Therefore, the basic philosophy was renewed from “Statistics for Administration” to “Statistics as the Social Information Infrastructure.”
The Bureau is offering two services “Production and Provision of the Anonymized Data” and “Tailor-made Tabulations.” The aim is to contribute to the development of scholarly investigation and the development of higher education based on this Statistics Act. The Bureau has entrusted all the clerical work concerning these services to the National Statistics Center (the Center).
Anonymized Data means the questionnaire information which has been so arranged as not to identify the investigated individuals or enterprises, that it may be provided to general users for the development of academic research, etc.
Tailor-made Tabulations means the provision of statistical tables which are made using the questionnaire information as ordered by the requestors. The aim is to contribute to the development of academic research, etc.
The Center administers the statistical services such as the storing of the questionnaire information, production and provision of the anonymized data and tailor-made tabulations, from a point of view of supporting effective and efficient enforcement of the services concerning to the secondary use of official statistics. These works are entrusted by the government organizations carrying out those statistics surveys and censuses. In addition, the Center plans improvements of the services while pushing forward cooperation with the academic research organizations.
This is a system wherein an applicant who satisfies certain necessary conditions will be permitted to use the anonymized data for a certain period. After identifying the applicant and examining the requirements, such as the purpose of use, the method of data management and the publication method of research results, and so on, the Center provides the anonymized data to the appropriate applicant.
It is possible to do positive analyses not only to make statistical tables that administrative bodies have not yet made, but also to do the multivariate analysis.
The following anonymized data are available as of July 2011.
This is a system wherein the applicant who satisfies certain necessary conditions may be provided the tabulation results. The Center makes tabulation according to the requested forms using the questionnaire information.
It is possible to do analyses based on the new tables that administrative bodies have not yet made, using this system.
The following data of the census and surveys are available for the tailor-made tabulations as of July 2011.
The Center is expanding its approaches for cooperation with academic research organizations in order to promote enhancement of the system for the secondary use of official statistics and the development of academic research.
The Center has reached cooperation agreements with the organizations that approve these approaches, in order to make it possible for them to provide anonymized data as satellite offices for the Center. For the purpose of promoting enhancement of the services for researchers, the Center and the satellite offices are jointly promoting the research and development, the dissemination and the raising of awareness activities concerning the secondary use of official statistics.
