Poll shows 55% of Japanese favor more dialogue with China

More than half of Japanese respondents believe the government should provide more opportunities for dialogue with China, according to a newly released Nikkei-TV Tokyo poll.

The survey, conducted from October 23 to 25, found that 55% of respondents favored expanding dialogue with China, while 39% said the government's current response was sufficient.

Support for more dialogue was evident across political groups, although the proportions varied. Among supporters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), 50% favored more opportunities for talks, compared with 46% who considered the current response sufficient.

The share favoring increased dialogue was even higher among supporters of opposition parties other than the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party, reaching 65%. Among independents who did not support any particular political party, 54% favored more dialogue. Meanwhile, 33% of opposition party supporters in this group and 35% of independents said the government's current response was sufficient.

Age was also a factor in respondents' views. Support for more dialogue was strongest among those aged 60 and above, at 62%. Among respondents in their 40s and 50s, 51% favored expanding dialogue, while 46% said the current response was sufficient.

Among those aged 39 and younger, views were roughly evenly divided between those favoring more dialogue and those satisfied with the current response.

The Nikkei-TV Tokyo poll was reportedly conducted nationwide among men and women aged 18 and older using random telephone interviews via landlines and mobile phones.