March 15, 2005
Summertime in Japan
As anyone who has lived in Japan is probably aware, the Japanese do not adjust their clocks by an hour in spring and winter to maximize daylight hours as do Americans (except those in Arizona), Europeans, and practically every other industrialized nation.
(This isn't meant to be another unjustified critique of Japan's failure to yet again conform to Western standards and practices. Personally, I've very little to nothing at stake in Japan's adoption or refusal to adopt daylight savings. Aside from a few days confusion each April and October over whether the time difference is now 13 hours or 14 hours between Japan and the East Coast, perhpas 40 seconds or so of amazement when I first discovered the absense of daylight savings during my first visit to Japan, and the extra cumulative 100 yen that early evenings have added to my electric bills while in Japan, I've given little thought to the matter.)
Readers of John Dower's Embracing Defeat may recall his brief mention of widespread public opposition to the introduction of daylight savings time by occupation authorities in 1948 (It's at the bottom of pg. 105 of the hardbound edition if anyone happens to be interested). The imposition was overturned in September of 1951.
Since then there have been sporadic efforts to reinstitute the system, and the topic receives occasional mention in the press. Supporters have included the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (for reasons of energy conservation), while the move has been opposed from such unlikely quarters as the Ministry of Education (allegedly out of fear that the extra daylight hours would distract students from their after-school studies). Shiga Prefecture and Hokkaido Prefecture have even tested out the system. The latter has even launched an online promotional effort complete with a video, detailed charts, and a "summertime screensaver" to bolster the effort! Currently, a group of legislators is considering a readoption of daylight savings.
With that as background, today's Asahi print edition carried the results of a public opinion poll surveying current public attitudes towards daylight savings time. According to the results of the poll, 73 per cent of Japanese questioned "knew about" the daylight savings system, but opinions were almost evenly divided on the question of its application in Japan, with 39 percent opposed and 38 per cent in favor.
Even more interesting were the reasons (selected by participants from a choice of four reasons) cited for opposition and support. Among those oppposing daylight savings, the most popular justification (32 percent) was its incompatability with Japan's geography and climate - specifically, Japan was located at a lower lattitude than the United States or Europe. 27 per cent of those opposed said it would adversely affect their bodies daily routine. 26 percent said they worried that it would contribute to longer working hours, with a large number of 30 to 40 somethings seemingly worried about the difficulties of leaving work while it was still light outside. Finally, 9 per cent opposed it on the grounds that it would be too time consuming.
Among supporters, 35 per cent, said they would like to work to finish with daylight to spare, with a large number of 20 to 30 somethings falling into this category. 31 per cent cited reasons of energy conservation, again with a large number of 20 somethings here. 31 per cent said it would be good for their health, and 6 per cent felt Japan should adopt daylight savings to follow the example of the majority of other developed countries.
Incidentally, nearly all of the above cited reasons are reflected in this commentary from Japantoday.
(This isn't meant to be another unjustified critique of Japan's failure to yet again conform to Western standards and practices. Personally, I've very little to nothing at stake in Japan's adoption or refusal to adopt daylight savings. Aside from a few days confusion each April and October over whether the time difference is now 13 hours or 14 hours between Japan and the East Coast, perhpas 40 seconds or so of amazement when I first discovered the absense of daylight savings during my first visit to Japan, and the extra cumulative 100 yen that early evenings have added to my electric bills while in Japan, I've given little thought to the matter.)
Readers of John Dower's Embracing Defeat may recall his brief mention of widespread public opposition to the introduction of daylight savings time by occupation authorities in 1948 (It's at the bottom of pg. 105 of the hardbound edition if anyone happens to be interested). The imposition was overturned in September of 1951.
Since then there have been sporadic efforts to reinstitute the system, and the topic receives occasional mention in the press. Supporters have included the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (for reasons of energy conservation), while the move has been opposed from such unlikely quarters as the Ministry of Education (allegedly out of fear that the extra daylight hours would distract students from their after-school studies). Shiga Prefecture and Hokkaido Prefecture have even tested out the system. The latter has even launched an online promotional effort complete with a video, detailed charts, and a "summertime screensaver" to bolster the effort! Currently, a group of legislators is considering a readoption of daylight savings.
With that as background, today's Asahi print edition carried the results of a public opinion poll surveying current public attitudes towards daylight savings time. According to the results of the poll, 73 per cent of Japanese questioned "knew about" the daylight savings system, but opinions were almost evenly divided on the question of its application in Japan, with 39 percent opposed and 38 per cent in favor.
Even more interesting were the reasons (selected by participants from a choice of four reasons) cited for opposition and support. Among those oppposing daylight savings, the most popular justification (32 percent) was its incompatability with Japan's geography and climate - specifically, Japan was located at a lower lattitude than the United States or Europe. 27 per cent of those opposed said it would adversely affect their bodies daily routine. 26 percent said they worried that it would contribute to longer working hours, with a large number of 30 to 40 somethings seemingly worried about the difficulties of leaving work while it was still light outside. Finally, 9 per cent opposed it on the grounds that it would be too time consuming.
Among supporters, 35 per cent, said they would like to work to finish with daylight to spare, with a large number of 20 to 30 somethings falling into this category. 31 per cent cited reasons of energy conservation, again with a large number of 20 somethings here. 31 per cent said it would be good for their health, and 6 per cent felt Japan should adopt daylight savings to follow the example of the majority of other developed countries.
Incidentally, nearly all of the above cited reasons are reflected in this commentary from Japantoday.
# posted by Saru : 11:55 PM
