Has the 3.11 Disaster Brought About Conservatism in Japan?

Abstract

This study uses survey data to examine empirically the effect of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 on attitudes towards politics. Drawing upon Terror Management Theory, we hypothesize that the earthquake triggered a fear of death in people, thus tilting their attitudes more conservative. Terror Management Theory postulates that exposure to a fear of death activates a psychological self-defense mechanism in people, who try to escape this fear by, for example, excessively embracing culture and building up their own egos. This article examines whether the fear of death triggered by the earthquake caused people in the disaster areas to become more conservative through an excessive embrace of political culture. To test this hypothesis, we rely on the Japanese Election Study IV, which provides panel data derived before and after the earthquake. Using this data, we empirically analyze changes in values, liberal–conservative ideology, materialism, and patriotism.

Appendix: Measuring Response Variables

The response variables in this paper were measured using the questionnaires below. These questionnaires are common to Waves 5 and 7.

Cultural Ideology

Q44:

What do you think of the following? Please choose the response that best matches your thinking. The first question is about the proposition that today’s Japanese politicians do not give people much consideration. (Please circle only one choice each for the first through the fifteenth item)

• 1. Today’s Japanese politicians do not give people much consideration. [excluded from the analysis]

• 2. I cannot tell how things will change and it does not make any sense to think of the future.

• 3. People are becoming economically worse off.

• 4. Considering how things change, I am pessimistic about the future of my children.

• 5. People are becoming increasingly indifferent to others.

• 6. It is natural that some are haves and others are have-nots.

• 7. You should abide by whatever your parents say.

• 8. Those who break the rules should be severely punished.

• 9. Leaders should treat their subordinates in a dignified manner.

• 10. Adolescent girls and boys should, if possible, be educated separately

• 11. A good educational background and material richness matter in the world.

• 12. We have much information about political and social issues, but I am at a loss about which is more credible.

• 13. Honesty does not pay off in the current social situation; the shrewd guys win.

• 14. Much of what I want to say or think gets rejected by people around me.

• 15. I am unlikely to realize my dream if I continue to live as I do now.

		Partly				Partly
Agree		agree		Neither		disagree		Disagree
1	$\cdots \cdots$	2	$\cdots \cdots$	3	$\cdots \cdots$	4	$\cdots \cdots$	5

The above measurement was reversed.

Political Ideology

Q43:

Regarding the political stance of being conservative or liberal, what is your stance? In the scale, the left end (0) means the most liberal and the right end (10) means the most conservative. Please circle the number that best describes your thinking. (Please circle only one number.)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10