A poll by the Cabinet Office found that 81.5 percent of the public is aware of the territorial row between Japan and Russia over islands off the northeast coast of Hokkaido, up 2.3 percentage points from the previous poll in 2008.
Slightly more than 16 percent of the respondents said they did not know enough about the dispute over Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islets, while 1.8 percent said they have never heard of the row.
More than half the respondents know the central and local governments have launched a campaign seeking the return of the islands from Russia, but only 36.1 percent of the respondents are willing to join this campaign.
Nearly 60 percent of the respondents said they do not want to take part because they do not have enough time or do not know much about its details.
The poll entailed interviews with 3,000 adults nationwide in September and October, of whom 1,848 gave valid responses.