COMPARISON OF ATTITUDES TOWARD PUBLIC WORKS IN JAPAN, THE US AND THE UK

Abstract

 It has been pointed out that public opinion in Japan is negative toward public works projects. In addition to countermeasures against disasters such as frequent heavy rains, more advanced social infrastructure is required, and public works projects must be implemented with the support of public opinion. On the other hand, looking at other countries, public works expenditure is on the increase in many developed countries, while Japan's downward trend is unique. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of public opinion toward public works in Japan in comparison with the United States and the United Kingdom. A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 310 residents in the capital cities of each country. The analysis revealed that public opinion in Japan is characterized by the correlation of negative issues such as inefficiency and wastefulness of projects, as well as low trust in the government and construction companies.