Main contents start here
News Bulletin
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
2011 Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities
The Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities has been conducted every five years since 1976, and the 8th survey will be conducted as of October 20, 2011.
Purpose
The survey aims to obtain comprehensive data on citizens' time allocation and leisure activities in order to clarify the current status of their lifestyles.
Points
Japan is experiencing a rapid change in its population structure due to a rapid rise in the average age due to declining birthrates, as well as a gradual change in employment structure such as an increasing number of non-regular workers. In this situation, the 2011 survey intends to more accurately perceive the reality of lifestyles, and in particular seeks to improve the following.
- Understanding the actual status of work-life balance and various activities in local communities
- Data on childcare and nursing
- International comparability in daily time use
Survey method
The 2011 survey will be conducted as of October 20, 2011. The respondents are requested to report their time use on two appointed consecutive days during the period from October 15 to 23. The survey covers 200,000 persons aged 10 and above in 84,000 households which are randomly-selected.
The enumerators deliver the questionnaires to each survey household and collect the completed questionnaires. The 2011 survey newly adopts an online survey in specific areas.
Topics to be surveyed
The 2011 survey covers the following topics:
- Time use over a single day
- Participation in leisure activities during the past year (study and researches, volunteer activities, sports, hobbies and amusements, travel and excursion)
- Characteristics of the individuals (employment status etc.)
- Characteristics of the households (type of residence etc.)
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 time use in more detail (via diary or after-coding method).
Questionnaire A is used for 79,000 sample households to compile detailed data such as regional data and data on family and type of household. Questionnaire B is used for the remaining 5,000 sample households. It enables a detailed analysis of time use for housework etc. Furthermore, because it employs the after-coding method, which is used in many countries, international comparisons of time use become possible.
Release of the results
The survey results will be released between July and December 2012 on the Internet and other media.
