Japan Poll: 70% of Public Believes Government Should Call for Energy Conservation

(CNA, Tokyo, 18 May, Comprehensive Foreign Report) A recent nationwide poll conducted by Japanese media touched on issues such as energy and arms exports. Regarding crude oil supply shortages, 70.5% of respondents believe the government "should call for energy conservation"; additionally, 57.2% of respondents oppose Japan's export of lethal weapons. Kyodo News conducted a nationwide telephone poll from the 16th to the 17th of this month and released the results on the 17th. In April this year, the Japanese government revised the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and its operational guidelines, abolishing the previous restriction that limited exports to five categories such as rescue and transport. This, in principle, allows the export of "weapons" with lethal capabilities, marking a major shift in Japan's defense policy. When asked if they approve of exporting lethal weapons, 57.2% of respondents disapproved, while 37.1% approved. Furthermore, the poll showed that the approval rating for the Takaichi cabinet was 61.3%, a decrease of 2.5 percentage points from the previous poll in April. The survey also mentioned revising the retrial system in criminal trials. 59.7% of people believe that prosecutors' appeals against a decision to start a retrial should be "prohibited in principle unless there is sufficient evidence"; 19.4% of respondents believe the "current system should be maintained," and 11.9% argued that prosecutors' appeals against a retrial start decision should be "completely banned." According to NHK, the Japanese government finalized an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure at a cabinet meeting on the 15th of this month, which will, in principle, prohibit prosecutors from appealing a decision to "start a retrial." Only in cases with sufficient reason will an appeal be exceptionally permitted. The government plans to complete the legislative amendment during the current Diet session. Additionally, the Japanese government is considering reducing the consumption tax on food to zero for a limited period of two years. However, as it is believed that modifying cash registers would take about a year, some suggest that reducing the tax rate by 1% could shorten the modification time. When Kyodo News asked about opinions on the food consumption tax, 28.1% of respondents believed it "should be reduced to zero, even if it takes time"; 36.7% argued that "1% would be acceptable if it shortens the time"; and 32.4% felt there was "no need to reduce the food consumption tax." Kyodo News interprets this as a division of public opinion on the issue of the food consumption tax. (Translation: Yang Wei-ching) 1150518