1. Characteristics of Individuals

a. Age

Age refers to the age at the last birthday before October 20, 2001.

b. Marital status

Marital status is classified into the following categories according to the actual situation regardless of whether marriage has been registered or not.

Never married; a person who has not yet married.
Married; a person who has a spouse (husband or wife).
Widow(er)ed or divorced; a person who has been separated from the spouse by death or by divorce and is not married.

c. Education

A person 10 years old and over is classified as follows according to the status as of October 20, 2001.

Graduated persons
- Elementary school or junior high school
- High school
- Junior college or technological college
- College or university, including graduate school
Persons attending school
- Elementary school
  - 5th grade
  - 6th
- Junior high school
  - 1st grade
  - 2nd
  - 3rd
- High school
  - 1st grade
  - 2nd
  - 3rd
- Junior college or technological college
- College or university, including graduate school
Persons never attended school

Schools refer only to those offering formal education, and schools such as preparatory schools and vocational training schools are excluded.

d. Activity of caring

This is classified as follows according to whether the respondent usually cares for his/her family members. A person who usually cares is further classified according to for whom and where he/she is caring.

"Caring" refers to helping a person to have a meal, take a bath, dress, move or do other daily movements.

"Caring" also includes that for those who have not been recognized as the persons who need care under the Long Term Care Insurance System.

Nursing for persons who are temporarily sick is excluded.

e. Place where own child lives

A person 60 years old and over is classified according to the place where most nearly own child (including the spouse of the child) lives as follows.

Living together in the same household
Living in the same site with the residence
Living in the neighborhood (within 5 minutes walking distance)
Living in the same municipality (city, ward, town or village)
Living elsewhere

f. Usual economic activity

A person 15 years old and over is classified into the following categories according to whether he/she usually works.

Working ... Persons who are usually engaged in work for pay or profit. Unpaid family workers are also classified as working if they are usually engaged in work.

Not working ... Persons who are not classified as working.

g. Employment status

Working persons are classified according to the employment status as follows.

Employees: Persons who work as employees of unincorporated enterprises, companies, corporations, associations or the government.
Executives of corporations or companies: Presidents, managing directors or auditors of companies, representative staffs of partnerships, directors or supervisors of associations or public corporations.
Self-employed with employees: Self-employed workers who employ one or more employees in their enterprises.
Self-employed without employees: Self-employed workers who operate their own businesses alone or only with the family members.
Family workers: Persons who work in unincorporated enterprises operated by the family member.
Pieceworkers at home: Persons who do piece work at home.

h. Form of employment

Employees are classified into the following categories according to how they are called at their places of work.

Regular staff
Part-time workers
"Arubaito" (a kind of temporary workers)
Dispatched workers from temporary labour agency
Other

i. Employment size of enterprise

A size of the enterprise in which the respondent is engaged is classified according to the total number of working persons aggregating the main office and all branch offices.

However, persons engaged in governments are classified in "Government".

j. Occupation

Occupation is classified on the basis of the Occupational Classification for the Population Census.

k. Usual working hours per week

This refers to the usual working time per week based on actual time worked, rather than on time contracted. The working time for secondary jobs and overtime work is included if he/she is usually engaged.

l. Usual one-way commuting time

This is the usual commuting time from home to the place of work and includes time for walking and waiting for trains and buses.

m. Regular holidays per week

Regular holidays per week of working persons are classified as follows according to the number of holidays per week on the basis of the job contract.

"One and a half holidays in a week" usually refers to the case in which all of Sunday and half day of Saturday are off days.

"Other" includes the case in which the person has three holidays in a week at least once a month or the case in which holidays are decided per month.

n. Use of information related equipment

This is classified as follows according to whether the respondent usually uses mobile phones, personal computers or other information related equipment.

A person who is usually using these equipment is further classified according to the kind of use.

"Use" means that either he/she owns one or uses one at home and at school or in his/her workplace regardless of how much time or for what purpose. It excludes those who use above solely at work or school.

2. Characteristics of Households

3. Time Use (Questionnaire A)

4. Leisure Activities during the Past Year (Questionnaire A)

5. Time Use by Detailed Activity Coding (Questionnaire B)

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