Homogeneous Japanese? :

A Critical Assessment with Secondary Analysis

Abstract

     Many feel that “Japanese are more homogenous than people of other nations,” and that “Japanese have a consensus.” However, these views, termed the “Homogenous Japanese Hypothesis” in this paper, are often inferred from qualitative data culled from only a few cases. Yet we know of no quantitative research analyzing the answers to comparable questions asked in large-scale international public opinion polls addressing these issues. In this paper, data from the International Social Survey Program and World Value Surveys are analyzed, and the Homogenous Japanese Hypothesis is examined. The results show that variances in opinions among Japanese are larger than expected and are even larger than those for people in other countries in several respects, including opinions on gender and family, the roles of government, and work orientations.