To gain an early understanding of consumer perceptions.
The items surveyed in this monthly survey are those pertinent to consumer perception in the quarterly Consumer Confidence Survey (called 'the quarterly survey' below). Prospects for the following five categories over the subsequent six months are surveyed: overall livelihood; income growth; prices; employment; willingness to buy durable goods.
The survey is conducted in Tokyo. The same 435 households in Tokyo sampled in the quarterly survey are questioned out of a total coverage of 3.2 million Tokyo households, excluding single-person households and foreigners.
The survey is conducted on the 15th of each month.
Same as the quarterly survey.
(1) Consumer perceptions of the following five categories are surveyed: state of livelihood; increase in revenue; rise in prices; employment prospects; willingness to buy consumer durables.
Respondents are asked to evaluate on a scale of one to five what they consider the prospects for the five subjects will be over the next six months.
(2) Points are then allotted in accordance with the one-to-five scale for each category based on the anticipated effects on consumption. The consumer perception index is calculated by computing the weighted average of the points of the results (component ratio).
(3) The consumer confidence index (seasonally unadjusted figure) is then calculated by simply averaging the five consumer perception indexes (seasonally unadjusted figures).
The survey was launched officially in November 2001; results from surveys conducted in February 2001 or earlier are therefore tentative.
The figures for the quarterly surveys in Tokyo are used for the figures for the monthly surveys for March, June, September and December.