Brief History of the World Internet Project Japan
The world Internet Project Japan started in April, 2000 as the collaboration of the Institute of Socio-Information and Communication Studies and the Communication Research Institute. In conducting annual surveys, we are indebted to Dr. Fumito Kubota at the Communication Research Institute (now renamed as the National institute of Communication Technology)
Outline of the Surveys
The outline of the annual surveys which we have conducted since 2000 is as follows.
Year 2000 Survey
The purpose of the research
This study’s goal is to grasp Internet industry and user trends by analyzing the Japanese situation of Internet-related industry and utilization, use frequency, user profile, etc. in order to clarify the future directions for balanced technological development.
This survey study is part of the above mentioned World Internet Project and aims to be a long-term panel survey study, lasting for the next 5 years. This document reports the results for the first year.
Major survey items
The major survey items of this survey are as below:
- Experience with mass media
- Ownership of information tools
- Media utilization by information source
- Mobile phone and PHS utilization
- PC utilization
- Internet u utilization
- E-mail and other Internet utilization
- Effect of the Internet
- Social view of the Internet
- Values & cultural behavior
Sample characteristics of the survey
In order to comprehensively understand the actual state of Internet utilization in Japan, this study commissioned an agency specializing in surveys to do research on the nationwide scale. Taking into account of the importance in Internet utilization by young people, the minimum research participant age was set to 12 years old. This is the same age as the American WIP research. Furthermore, to pursue the change in Internet utilization during 5 years, this study uses the so called “panel study” method, where the same participant is continuously surveyed for the 5 year period. For that purpose, the designed number of sampling was 3,500 people, and the aim was to obtain effective data from over 2,500 people. The summary of survey execution is shown below:
- Population: People from across Japan, aged 12 to 74 yrs.
- Number of samples: 3,500 people
Sampling method
Stratified two-stage random sampling method.
Survey period
October 26 to November 12, 2000
Survey method
Recovery by research staff visit pick up
Survey execution commissioned agency
Shin Joho Center, Inc.
Number of effective recovered samples（percentage）
2,555 people (73%)
Year 2001 Survey
The purpose of the research
The recent years have seen a drastic increase in global Internet usage. In Japan, along with the nation-wide diffusion, a wide array of applications have been newly developed.On the other hand, various social problems have arisen, and it is becoming a national issue to promote future healthy development of the Internet.
In order to promote research and development of next-generation Internet technology, it is important to follow the medium- to long-term user's trends and construct a model on how new network technology will be accepted by society. Thus, the purpose of this survey research is to watch Internet industry and user trends and reveal the direction for balanced technological development through analysis of survey results on Internet industry and user usage, usage frequency, user group on a national level.
Survey utems
(1) Media usage in daily life (4) On-line shopping usage
(2) Cellular phone and PHS usage (5) Daily life in general
(3) Internet usage
Survey population
Individuals of both sexes from all over Japan aged 12 to 74 years.
Sample number
2,872 samples
Sampling method
In this survey , to analyze the transition of answers to some of the questions in the year 2000 survey as a panel study, among the 2,555 people in the year 2001 survey participants, the 1,924 people who indicated intention of cooperating with the year 2001 survey were regarded as “Continued samples” and were all studied. In addition, 948 samples were added as “new samples” to adjust each age-group according to the population ratio for each age-group of individuals of both sex from all over Japan, ranging from 12 to 64 yrs. The final survey target number reached 2,872 samples. Concerning the newly added samples, research staffs at each survey region were directed to randomly find a particular sex or age and ask for cooperation with the survey.
Additionally, among the continued targets (1,924 people) from the year 2000 survey, panel samples who also cooperated with this year’s survey were 1,346 people.
Cooperation with the survey from the remaining 578 people could not be obtained due to change in residence, absence, refusal, etc., so research staff randomly searched for new targets of the same sex and age-group in the area and obtained cooperation with the survey as “Supplementary samples”.
Survey method
Recovery by research staff visit pick up
Survey period
October 25 to November 11, 2001
Survey execution commissioned agency
Shin Joho Center Corporation
Number of Effective Recovered Samples
2,816 samples
Year 2002 Survey
The puropose of the survey
Recent years have seen a global Internet expansion, and Japan is part of this expansion. A wide range of applications have been newly developed along with Internet diffusion across Japan, while various social problems have also arisen. Given this context, how to promote harmonious Internet development in the future is a national issue.
In promoting research and development related to next-generation Internet technology, it is extremely important to follow the trends of mid-term and long-term user demands and set up a model on how society will accept the new network technology. Thus, the objective of this survey is to investigate the trends in the Internet industry and among users through a national survey and analyzing the Internet industry, how users use the Internet, frequency of use, and user groups, so that we can clearly suggest a balanced direction for technological development in the future.
Survey items
Survey A |
Survey B |
1. Cellular phone and PHS use |
1. Information equipment use |
2. Cellular phone E-mail use |
2. Internet use |
3. Information equipment use |
3. Internet use related to politics |
4. Internet use |
4. Homepages and bulletin board use |
5. Social life |
5. Social life |
Sampling population
Male and female individuals from 12 to 75 years old all over Japan
Number of samples
3,500 people (1,750 for Survey A and 1,750 for Survey B)
Sampling method
stratified two-stage random sampling method
Survey period
From October 17 to November 4, 2002
Survey research method
staff conduct door-to-door visits to collect relevant data
Agency entrusted with implementing this survey
Shin Joho Center, Inc.
Valid number of samples recovered (rate)
2,333 people (66.7%) Survey A: 1,164 people (66.5%), Survey B: 1,169 people (66.8%)
Year 2003 Survey
The purpose of the survey
In recent years the Internet has dramatically diffused on a global basis, and Japan is part of this great expansion. A wide range of applications have been newly developed along with Internet diffusion across Japan, while various social problems have also arisen. Given this context, how to promote harmonious Internet development in the future is a national issue.
In promoting research and development related to next-generation Internet technology, it is extremely important to follow the trends of mid- and long-term user demands and create a model of how society will accept the new network technology. Thus, the objective of this survey is to investigate the trends of Internet users through a national survey and analyzing how users use the Internet, frequency of use, and user groups, so that we can clearly suggest a balanced direction for future technological development of the Internet.
Survey items
Questionnaire Style Survey |
Diary Style Survey |
(1) Media use in daily life |
(1) Daily life locations and mobility |
(2) Use of information equipment |
(2) Media use |
(3) Use of cellular phone/PHS |
(3) Contact with family, friend, and business |
(4) Use of cellular phone mail |
associate |
(5) Use of Internet |
(4) Use of cellular phone |
(6) Use of Internet at home |
(5) Use of PC |
(7) Use of Internet outside home |
(6) Number of sending/receiving mails and photos taken with cellular phones |
(8) Use of website/BBS |
(7) Free time |
(9) Anxiety and trust about Internet |
(8) Correspondent of activity |
(10) Social life |
|
Survey population
Male and female individuals over 12 years old all over Japan.
Number of samples
2,200 people
Sampling method
Stratified two-stage random sampling method
Survey period
From November 27 to December 17, 2003
Survey research method
Door-to-door visits by research staff first to ask people to fill in questionnaires and then later to collect them.
Diary style questionnaires were separated into two types with two consecutive days: (A) for Sunday and Monday and (B) for Monday and Tuesday. To avoid clustered errors due to regions and other factors, (A) and (B) are equally divided by the even and odd numbers of the survey serial numbers.
Valid number (Rate) of samples recovered
1,520 people (69.1％)
Agency entrusted with implementing this survey
Chuo Chosa-sha,Inc.
Year 2005 Survey
The purpose of the survey
The objective of this survey is to assess exactly the actual status of Japanese’ information
activity as of March 2005 and, further, to compare with the results of the Internet usage trends
survey conducted by the former Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) every year from
2000 through 2003 around October to December and the results of the information activity
surveys conducted by the University of Tokyo in 1995 and 2000.
Survey items
| Attitude Survey | Diary Style Survey |
| (1) Possession of information equipment | (1) Activity time |
| (2) TV viewing | (2) Activity place |
| (3) Newspaper reading | (3) Category of daily activity |
| (4) Use/non-use of the Internet and use time | (4) Category of information activity |
| (5) Various aspects of Internet use | (5) Frequency of information equipment use |
| (6) Information categories and sources | (6) Free time |
| (7) Creditability/effectiveness of information sources | |
| (8) Effectiveness of media image | |
| (9) Interpersonal communications and media selection | |
| (10) Normative consciousness in information activity | |
| (11) Information security | |
| (12) Media use and social consciousness | |
| (13) Information literacy | |
Sampling population
Males and females aged 13 - 69 all over Japan
Number of samples
3,000
Sampling method
Two-stage stratified random sampling method based on the Basic Resident Register
Survey period
From March 2 (Wed) to March 9 (Wed), 2005
Survey research method
Door-to-door visits by survey staff (first to ask respondents to fill in questionnaires, and later to
collect them)
Valid number (rate) of samples collected
2,029 (67.6%)
Agency entrusted with implementing this survey
Shin Joho Center,,Inc.