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Fewer Japanese believe their society is rooted in democracy compared with 10 years ago, a survey by The Asahi Shimbun shows.

Forty-eight percent of respondents said democracy had not taken root, while 46 percent said it had. The figure for those in the affirmative declined sharply from the 62 percent in the 2015 survey.

The percentage who said democracy had not taken root climbed from 32 percent in the last survey.

Questionnaires were mailed to 3,000 randomly selected voters around the nation between late February and early April. Valid responses were received from 1,899 voters.

While a direct comparison cannot be made due to the use of different survey methods, an interview survey taken in December 1971 found that 41 percent of respondents felt democracy had taken root, while 54 percent said so in a similar survey taken in December 1994.

There were clear differences in the latest survey depending on age.

Among respondents under 50, more said democracy had not taken root than those who responded in the affirmative. But a majority of respondents over 50 said democracy had taken root.

Another question gave respondents four choices in evaluating the administration headed by the late Shinzo Abe during his second stint as prime minister from 2012 until 2020.

Nine percent heaped praise on the Abe administration, while 48 percent said they somewhat praised it. In contrast, 29 percent said they were somewhat negative about the Abe administration and 11 percent were greatly negative.

Of those who were greatly negative, 70 percent said democracy had not taken root in Japanese society. But 60 percent of those who heaped praise on the administration said democracy had taken root.

Views about democracy also differed based on whether respondents said they placed trust in politics.

While 32 percent of respondents said they placed trust in politics, of that figure 65 percent said democracy had taken root. In contrast, of the 67 percent who said they did not place trust in politics, only 37 percent said democracy had taken root.

Of respondents who said they supported the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, 61 percent said democracy had taken root. Among supporters of the opposition Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 55 percent and 53 percent, respectively, said democracy had taken root.

But among supporters of Reiwa Shinsengumi, 65 percent said democracy had not taken root.

Akihiro Yamamoto, an associate professor of historical sociology at the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, pointed out that the decrease in those who said democracy had taken root was likely a reflection of a lack of informed debate and respect for opposing views in political circles.

“While the spread of social media has given some people a greater sense of participating in politics, among those who still depend on traditional media, such a spread may be a sign to them that democracy is declining,” Yamamoto said.

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