An important new poll on U.S. attitudes toward Japan's wartime past will please neither those who feel that Japan has not done enough to atone nor those who believe that Japan has done all it needs to do. Using a sample of 1,000 registered voters in California, the survey by Pacific Research & Strategies is part of an annual program that asks American voters about their attitudes on Asia, Asians and U.S.-Asian relations.
The survey, unlike others, is conducted using registered voters, and, thus, is of greater interest to elected officials and U.S. policymakers. Conducted between Feb. 4-11, some of the same questions will be used in a nationwide survey later this year.
The survey begins by asking respondents, "Are U.S. relations with Asia as important, more important or less important than U.S. relations with Europe?." Fifty-eight percent responded "as important," while 18 percent said "more important." By contrast, 14 percent said that U.S. relations with Asia were "less important" and 11 percent answered "don't know."