Changes in Public Opinion Polling: How Newspaper Polls Gained Political Clout

Abstract

Approval in public opinion polling is an important resource for prime ministers in contemporary Japanese politics. Though it is widely agreed that cabinet approval ratings increased in political significance after the electoral reform and the restructuring of government agencies, little attention has been paid to the fact that public opinion polling in the mass media also experienced a transformation during the same period. This article surveys the history of public opinion polling since 1945. It argues that changes in survey methodology enabled newspapers to conduct and report opinion polling quickly and frequently, which has strengthened the link between approval ratings and ongoing political processes.