Country Report

Trust in Japan2022 EDELMAN
TRUST BAROMETER
Methodology

Annual online survey in its 22nd year
Fieldwork conducted: Nov 1 – Nov 24, 2021

2836,000+

1,150+

countries

respondents

respondents/country

GLOBAL AVERAGES vary based on the number of countries surveyed each year:
GLOBAL 27 does not include Nigeria*
GLOBAL 22 does not include Colombia, Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, S. Africa and Thailand
GLOBAL 24 Not asked in China, Russia, Thailand
27-market global data margin of error: General population +/- 0.6%
(n=31,050); half-sample global general online population +/- 0.8%(n=15,525).
Country-specific data margin of error: General population +/- 2.9%(n=1,150); half-sample +/- 4.1% (n=575).

the sensitive nature of the question prevented this data from being collected in these markets

Argentina
Australia
BrazilCanadaChina
Colombia
FranceGermany
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Malaysia
MexicoNigeria
RussiaSaudi Arabia
Singapore
S. Africa
S. Korea
Spain
ThailandThe Netherlands
UAEUKU.S.

Other global averages detailed in technical appendix*To prevent skewing the global results, Nigeria is not included in any global averages because
the online population is not representative of the true population

2

22 YEARS OF TRUST
‘01

‘02

‘03

‘04

‘05

‘06

‘07

‘08

‘09

‘10

‘11Rising

Fall of the

Earned Media

U.S.

Trust

A “Person Like

Business

Young People

Trust in

Performance

Business Must

Influence ofCelebrity CEO

More Credible

Companies in

Shifts fromMe” Emerges

More Trusted

Have MoreBusinessandPartner With

ThanEurope Suffer“Authorities”

as Credible

Than

Trust in

Plummets

Transparency

Government toAdvertising

Trust Discountto PeersSpokesperson

Government

Business

Essential toRegain Trust

NGOsand Media

Trust

‘12

‘13

‘14

‘15

‘16

‘17

‘18

‘19

‘20

‘21

‘22

Fall of

Crisis ofBusiness

Trust isGrowing

Trust in

The Battle

Trust

Government

Leadershipto LeadEssential toInequality

Crisisfor Truthat WorkBusiness
Most Trusted

The Cycleof Distrust

the Debate

Innovationof Trust

Trust:
Competenceand Ethics

for Change

3STATUS OF TRUSTGLOBALLY, TRUST DECLINES FOR GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA;
BUSINESS STILL ONLY TRUSTED INSTITUTION
Percent trust
Distrust(1-49)

Global 27

61

Neutral(50-59)

Trust(60-100)

0+Change, 2021 to 2022

IN MAY 2020,GOVERNMENT MOST TRUSTED
595250Global 11650+2-1-1

Business

NGOs

Government

Media62

Government Business

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4 box, trust.
General population, 27-mkt avg.
2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Spring Update. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top4 box, trust. General population, 11-mkt avg.

62

NGOs56Media5MODEST TRUST DECLINES FOR GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA;NO INSTITUTION TRUSTED IN JAPAN
Percent trust, in Japan
Distrust(1-49)

Neutral(50-59)

Trust(60-100)

0+Change, 2021 to 2022

IN MAY 2020,NO INSTITUTION TRUSTED
48
4136

35
46+2+1l-1l

Business

NGOs

Government

Media

40

38

37

Government

Media-1

Business

NGOs

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4 box, trust.
General population, Japan.
2020 Edelman Trust Baromter Spring Update. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4box, trust. General population, Japan.

6

2021
General population

TRUST FALLS IN
DEMOCRACIES
Trust Index

Distrust(1-49)

Neutral(50-59)

Trust(60-100)2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. The Trust Index is the average
percent trust in NGOs, business, government and media. TRU_INS.
Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate howmuch you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4box, trust. General population, 27-mkt avg.

2022
General population-56

Global 27

56

Global 27

77

India

83

China

72

China

76

UAE

72

Indonesia

75

Indonesia

69

Saudi Arabia

74

India

68

Singapore

72

Saudi Arabia

67

UAE

66

Malaysia

66

Malaysia

66

Singapore

63

The Netherlands

66

Thailand61

Thailand

60

Kenya

59

Australia

59

Mexico

59

Kenya

57

The Netherlands

59

Mexico54

Canada56

Canada53

Australia

53

Germany

53

Italy

52

Italy

51

Brazil51

Brazil51

Ireland50

Ireland50France48

Colombia48

Colombia

48

France48

S. Africa

48

S. Africa

46

Germany

48

U.S.

45

Argentina

47

Argentina

45

Spain

47

S. Korea

44

UK

45

Spain

43

U.S.

45

UK

42

S. Korea

40

Japan40Japan

31Russia

32

Russia0+Change, 2021 to 2022

Biggest gainers:
China

+11

UAE

+9Thailand+5

Biggest losers:
Germany-7

Australia-6

The Netherlands-6

S. Korea

-5

U.S.

-5

U.S. Trust Index has
declined 10 pts since 20177

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LACK ECONOMIC OPTIMISM
Percent who believe they and their families will be better off in five years’ time
-Developed countries+ Change, 2021 to 2022

0My family and I will be better offin five years’ time
9 countries at all-time lows55

Global 27

51%0 pts
15-2

18-1

22-2

30 31
27 29

0-1+2+134 36-1+160 60

68
64 66

73 73

81 83
78 80

87

91

42 43
39 40 41

+6-6-2

-1

-1

0-2

-2-8-2

-1

0

0

+60

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. CNG_FUT. Thinking about the economic prospects for yourself and your family, how do you think you and your family will be doing in five years’ time? 5-point
scale; top 2 box, better off. General population, 27-mkt avg. *Nigeria is not included in the global average+11 -1n/a-28

IN JAPAN, NEARLY 1 IN 3 QUESTION TODAY’S CAPITALISM
Percent who agree

Capitalism as it exists today does
more harm than good in the world

Centrally-managed economies doa better job than free-market economies

52 29 33 19%%%2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. TMA_SIE_SHV. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. 9-point scale; top 4 box, agree. Question asked of half of thesample. General population, 27-mkt avg., and among 21-mkt avg consisting of democratic countries, and Japan.

%
9DISTRUST IS THE DEFAULT: NO BASIS FOR PEACEFUL DEBATE

Which are you more likely to believe?

59%
75%

Percent who agree

People in this country lack the ability to haveconstructive and civil debates about issues
they disagree on

My tendency is to distrust until
I see evidence that something is trustworthyVS.
My tendency is to trust until I see evidence
that something is untrustworthy

64 58%

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. TRU_CHOICE. You are about to see two choices. We want you to choose the one that best describes you and your beliefs. Question asked of half of thesample. POP_MDC. Below is a list of statements. For each one, please rate how true you believe that statement is using a nine-point scale where one means it is “not at all true” and ninemeans it is “completely true”. 9-point scale; top 4 box, true. Question asked of half of the sample. General population, 27-mkt avg., and Japan.

%10DRIVERS OF DISTRUSTSOCIETAL FEARSRISE IN JAPAN

Percent who worry about each, in Japan-0+Change, 2021 to 2022

74

72
66
47
342022 Edelman Trust Barometer. POP_EMO. Some people say
they worry about many things while others say they have few
concerns. We are interested in what you worry about.
Specifically, how much do you worry about each of thefollowing? 9-point scale; top 4 box, worry. Non-job loss attributes
shown to half of the sample. General population, Japan. Job loss
asked of those who are an employee of an organization (Q43/1).
Job loss is a net of attributes 1-3, 5, and 22-24.

+6+6

Job loss(net)

Climate changel-2+5+6Hackers andcyber-attacks

Losing myfreedoms as acitizen

Experiencing
prejudice orracism

12FAKE NEWS CONCERNS AT ALL-TIME HIGHS
Percent who agree-0+

Change, 2021 to 2022
All-time high in
13 of 27 countries

I worry about false information or fake news being used as a weapon
84 83 83 82 82 82 82 81 81 81
80 80 79 78 78
76 76 75 75 74 73
72 71

67 65 64 64
63

Global 2776%+4pts+3 +9 +7 +5 +3 +2 +20+2 +10 +9 n/a +4 +4 +5 +18 +2 +3 +2 +2-2+8 +3 +4 +12022 Edelman Trust Barometer. ATT_MED_AGR. Below is a list of statements. For each one, please rate how much you agree or disagree with that statement using a nine-point scale where
one means “strongly disagree” and nine means “strongly agree”. 9-point scale; top 4 box, agree. Question asked of half the sample. General population, 27-mkt avg. *Nigeria is not included inthe global average-1+5 +213MORE CONVINCED WE’RE BEING
LIED TO BY SOCIETAL LEADERS-Percent who worry

Change, 2021 to 2022

6766%

52%

Journalists andreporters

pts

43%+63%+90%+8pts

My country's
government leaders

34%

+6pts

Business leaders

are purposely trying to mislead people bysaying things they know are false or gross exaggerations

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. POP_EMO. Some people say they worry about many things while others say they have few concerns. We are interested in what you worry about.
Specifically, how much do you worry about each of the following? 9-point scale; top 4 box, worry. Attributes shown to half of the sample. General population, 27-mkt avg., and Japan.

14

GLOBAL 24 Not asked in China, Russia, Thailand

GLOBALLY, GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA SEEN AS DIVISIVE
Percent who say

These institutions are…

a dividing

a unifying

force in society

force in society

Gap,
difference between
unifying force vs.
dividing force-12pts-11pts

14pts

21pts

50

48

46
36

45

35
31

Government

MediaBusiness2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. [INS]_PER_DIM. In thinking about why you do or do not trust [institution], please specify where you think they fall on the scale between the two opposing
descriptions. 11-point scale; top 5 box, positive; bottom 5 box, negative. Questions asked of half of the sample. General population, 24-mkt avg. Data not collected in China, Russia and Thailand.

29NGOs15

IN JAPAN, MEDIA SEEN AS DIVISIVE;
GOVERNMENT NOT SEEN AS UNIFYING FORCE IN SOCIETY
Percent who say, in Japan
These institutions are…

a dividing

a unifying

force in society

force in society

Gap,
difference between
unifying force vs.
dividing force-12pts

0pts

24pts

24pts

4745

4037372823Media

Government

Business2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. [INS]_PER_DIM. In thinking about why you do or do not trust [institution], please specify where you think they fall on the scale between the two opposing
descriptions. 11-point scale; top 5 box, positive; bottom 5 box, negative. Questions asked of half of the sample. General population, Japan.

21NGOs16

GOVERNMENT NOT SEEN AS ABLE TOSOLVE SOCIETAL PROBLEMS
Percent who say each is a strength of institutions, in Japan

Take a leadership role

Get results

Coordinate cross-institutional efforts
to solve societal problems

Successfully execute plans and strategies
that yield results

Majority do notsee as strength
50%

5149
38

3532

30
26

Business

NGOs Government Media24Business

NGOs Government Media

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. CMP_ARE_[INS]. Thinking about [institution] as they are today, please indicate whether you consider each of the following dimensions to be one of theirareas of strength or weakness. 5-point scale; top 2 box, strength. Question asked of half of the sample. General population, Japan.

17SOCIETAL LEADERSHIP NOW
A CORE BUSINESS FUNCTION

ALL STAKEHOLDERS HOLD BUSINESS ACCOUNTABLE
Percent who agree
Global 7
Source: 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer
Special Report: Institutional Investors

49% 44% 47% 88%
Buy or advocate
for brands

Choose a place
to work

based on their beliefs
and values

based on their beliefs
and values

58%

60%

Investbased on theirbeliefs and values

64of institutional investors
subject ESG to the same scrutiny
as operational and financial
considerations%2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. Belief-driven consumer, employee, and investor segments. General population, 27-mkt avg., and Japan. Employee data is filtered to be among employees ofan organization (Q43/1). Investor data is only among those who sell stocks, bonds, or mutual funds as a standalone or employer-sponsored investment (INVESTOR/1). See Technical Appendix
for a full explanation of how belief-driven consumers, employees, and investors were measured.
2021 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Institutional Investors. Q7. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding shareholder
activism. 4-point scale; top 2 box, agree. 7-mkt avg.

19WANT MORE, NOT LESS,
BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIETAL ISSUES
Percent who say, in JapanOn addressing each societal issue,
business is…
not doingenoughoverstepping

Economic
inequality

ClimatechangeTrustworthy
information

Workforce
reskilling

Systemic
injustice

Access tohealthcare

63pts

60pts

57pts

50pts

49pts

43pts

65

64

52

52

Gap,
not doing enoughvs. overstepping

60
46243232022 Edelman Trust Barometer. BUS_BND. Think about business as an institution, and its current level of engagement in addressing societal needs and issues. When it comes to each of thefollowing areas, please indicate if you think business is going too far and overstepping what it should be doing, is doing just the right amount in regard to this activity, or is not going far enoughin its actions and should be doing more. 3-point scale; code 3, “not doing enough”; code 1, “overstepping”. General population, Japan.

320

CEOS EXPECTED TO BE THE FACE OF CHANGEPercent who say-0+Change, 2019 to 2022

When considering a job, I expect the CEO to speak
publicly about controversial social and politicalCEOs should be personally visible
when discussing public policy with external
stakeholders or work their company has done
to benefit society

issues that I care about

Among employees

81 74 60 44
(net)

%

(net)

%

%+5+1

pts

pts

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. CEO_VIS. How visible do you think a CEO should personally be in these different types of business situations? 9-point scale; top 4 box, visible. Question
asked of half of the sample. General population, 27-mkt avg., and Japan. Data shown is a net of attributes 2 and 10. EMP_IMP. When considering an organization as a potential place ofemployment, how important is each of the following to you in deciding whether or not you would accept a job offer there? 3-point scale; top 2 box, important. Question asked of those who are anemployee of an organization (Q43/1). General population, 25-mkt avg., and Japan.

%

21

THE ROLE OF INFORMATIONGLOBAL 24 Not asked in China, Russia, Thailand

INFORMATION QUALITY NOW MOST POWERFUL
TRUST BUILDER ACROSS INSTITUTIONSPotential trust gain associated with doing each well (top 5)

Business% pt
gain

NGOs% pt
gain

Government% ptgain

Media% pt
gain

Information quality

3.0

Information quality

3.2

Information quality

6.1

Information quality

6.6

Hold others accountable

2.5

Exert power effectively

2.4

Take a leadership role

3.7

Communication and transparency

3.2

Communication and transparency

2.3

Work with other institutions andorganizations

2.3

Exert power effectively

3.5

Exert power effectively

2.5

Exert power effectively

2.1

Take a leadership role

2.1

Long-term thinking and planning3.2

Change management

2.2

Get results

1.8

Change management

2.0

Hold others accountable

3.2

Hold others accountable

2.0

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. Regression analysis. CMP_ARE_[INS]. Thinking about [institution] as they are today, please indicate whether you consider each of the following dimensions
to be one of their areas of strength or weakness. 5-point scale; top 2 box, strength. Question asked of half of the sample. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate
how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4 box, trust. General population, 24-mkt avg. For a full explanation of how this data was calculated, please see theTechnical Appendix. Data not collected in China, Thailand and Russia for CMP_ARE_[INS].

23

GOOD INFORMATION CAN HELP CLOSE THE SOCIETAL DIVIDE
Trust Index
Distrust

Neutral

Trust

Global 22
62

Well-informed
regularly do the following:High income

Low income,well-informed

57
55

High income,not well-informed❑ Consult 3+ news sources daily❑ Read business and/or public
policy news

Seek quality information

47
Low income
When low-income respondents are wellinformed, they are more trusting thanhigh-income respondents who are not2012

Follow news regularly❑ Consult news sources with which
they disagree❑ Check information against
multiple sources

2022

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. The Trust Index is the average percent trust in NGOs, business, government and media. TRU_INS. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, pleaseindicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right. 9-point scale; top 4 box, trust. General population, 22-mkt avg., by income. Media Consumption scale. General population, 22-mktavg., by income. For full details on how the Well-Informed Scale was built, please refer to the Technical Appendix.

24

MY EMPLOYER MEDIA MOST BELIEVABLE
Percent who believe information from each source automatically, or after seeing it twice or less, in Japan

Communications from…

My employer

National
government

Major
corporations

Media reports,
named source

55

54

53

AdvertisingMedia reports, My social media
anonymous
feedsource64
Nr. of times they need to see
the information repeated
before believing it:

48
46
38

Once or twice4239

If I see it here, I willautomatically assume it is true
18I will never believe it is true
if this is the only place I see it

21172538383130783635341214142321272022 Edelman Trust Barometer. HEAR_TIME1. When you see a new piece of information or a news story in each of the following information sources, how many times do you need to see itor hear it repeated in that same type of information source before you believe it is really true? Question asked of half of the sample. “Once or twice” is a sum of codes 2 and 3. General
population, Japan. “Employer communications” only shown to those who are an employee of an organization (Q43/1).

25

RESTORING TRUSTIS KEY TO SOCIETAL STABILITY
1

2Business societal roleis here to stay

Demonstrate tangible
progress

People want more businessleadership, not less.

Restore belief in society’s
ability to build a better
future: show the systemworks.

3

4Leadership must
focus onlong-term thinking

Every institution must
provide trustworthy
information

Solutions over divisiveness;long-term thinking overshort-term gain.

Clear, consistent, factbased information is criticalto breaking the cycle of
distrust.

26