19. Policies

19.1. The consumption tax rate changed to 10 percent in October last year. How did your household respond to the tax rate increase? Consider actions taken immediately after the tax increase and actions you are currently taking. Circle a number for each.

	Immediately after the tax increase		Currently
	Yes	No	Yes	No
Review shopping of essentials, such as food	1	2	3	4
Use less energy	1	2	3	4
Review shopping of luxury items, such as clothes and cosmetics	1	2	3	4
Review fixed costs, such as insurance and loans	1	2	3	4
Bring forward or review the purchase of expensive items, such as electrical appliances and cars	1	2	3	4
Review spending on services, such as leisure and eating out	1	2	3	4
Reducing expenditures by purchasing cheaper items	1	2	3	4

[If you have a child aged 18 years or younger, please answer the following question. Otherwise, please proceed to Q19.2.]

19.1.1. How did your household respond to the increase in the consumption tax rate to 10 percent? Circle a number for each.

	Immediately after the tax increase		Currently
	Yes	No	Yes	No
Review child’s education expenses (school, coaching school, lessons, etc.)	1	2	3	4
Review other child-related expenses (clothes, games, toys, etc.)	1	2	3	4

19.2. How much of a burden would it be on your family if the consumption tax rises (were raised) to 10%?

1. The burden would be about the same

2. The burden would be slightly greater

3. The burden would be considerably greater

19.3. Did your household receive the “special cash payment” (tokubetsu teigaku kyufukin; 100,000 per person) from the government?

1. Received it

2. Applied for it but have not received it

3. Have not applied for it yet

4. Does not intend to receive it (or declined it)

5. Does not know much about it

[If you answered “1. Received it” in Question 3, please answer the following question. Otherwise, please proceed to Q19.4.]

19.3.1. How was the special cash payment used? How much was used? If you intentionally left the payment in the account where it was received, please regard this as saving.

Family	_ _ _ thousand yen	Family	_ _ _ thousand yen
Expenses for me, such as food	_ _ _ thousand yen	Savings for me, such as food	_ _ _ thousand yen
Expenses for my husband	_ _ _ thousand yen	Savingss for my husband	_ _ _ thousand yen
Expenses for my child(ren)	_ _ _ thousand yen	Savings for my child(ren	_ _ _ thousand yen
Expenses for other(s)	_ _ _ thousand yen	Savings for other(s)	_ _ _ thousand yen

[If you have a child in elementary, junior high, or high school, please answer the following question. Otherwise, please proceed to Q19.4.]

19.3.2. Did you give your child his or her portion of the special cash payment in cash? Please circle one number for each student category. If you do not have a child in a given category, circle 4 (“No applicable child”).

	Gave all of it in cash	Gave part of it in cash	Did not give cash	No applicable child
Student in the 1st to 3rd grade of primary school 2	1	2	3	4
Student in the 4th to 6th grade of primary school	1	2	3	4
Junior-high school student	1	2	3	4
Senior-high school student	1	2	3	4

19.4. Many public support measures exist to reduce the burden of childcare and education cost. Which of the following best corresponds with your opinion?

1. Cash payment such as “Child’s Benefits”

2. Tax incentive (Dependency allowance and so on)

3. Reduction of educational cost for nurseries, kindergarten, and schools or making them free

4. Expansion of facilities for childcare and education

5. No measure is necessary

[Please answer this question is you received an income during the last one year.]

19.5. Last year, did you make any adjustments to keep your yearly income below a certain level?

1. Made an adjustment Did not make an adjustment

2. Did not make an adjustment

19.5.1. For what reason?

Pleas select all that apply.

1. I would be subject to income taxes

2. We would lose standard and special tax exemptions for married couples

3. We would lose spousal allowances

4. I would have to get my own health insurance because I would not be covered by my husband’s health insurance

5. I would have to pay social unemployment insurance.

6. My husband’s company would find out that I was working.

7. We pay attention to the ceiling amount of each allowance we receive

8. We pay attention to income categories for using various services

9. Other (Please specify: _______________ )

19.5.2. For what reason?

(Circle one that applies.)

1. Our income was too low to need to make adjustments

2. We worked without making any adjustments even though it crossed our mind to do so

3. We worked without thinking about making any adjustments

4. Other (Please specify: _______________ )