Who Is Criticizing Public Assistance ? An Empirical Analysis Using a Public Opinion Survey

Abstract

This paper analyzes factors influencing public opinion regarding the Public Assistance system in Japan. It uses data from an internet-based public opinion survey conducted in 2016. In doing so, the paper identifies the people’s belief that poverty is caused by the poor themselves （meaning that they should take self-responsibility for being inpoverished） and also the belief that poverty can only be solved by the poor themselves （meaning that the poor can escape poverty only through their own efforts） regardless of the reasons for their poverty.The analysis reveals that first of all, there is no clear evidence that the working-poor class are opposed to the Public Assistance, even though this is a widely believed hypothesis. Second, the belief that the poor are responsible for the causes of their own poverty and the belief that the poor are responsible for getting themselves out of poverty both exist independently, and they both influence how people think about the Public Assistance.