Poll: Americans say Japan still tops in Asia, but falling

A large majority of Americans still consider Japan a trustworthy nation, but the importance of the bilateral relationship continues to fall, a recent poll conducted in the United States for the Foreign Ministry showed.

In the survey, undertaken by the Gallup Organization in February and March, 67 percent of the respondents said they view Japan as a country that is dependable, down 7 percentage points from a similar survey last year.

The telephone survey covered 1,500 people aged 18 or older in the United States.

Asked what country in Asia they see as the United States' most important partner, 43 percent picked Japan, down 5 points from a year earlier.

The same question registered a record high of 55 percent for Japan in 1995, but the ratio has fallen ever since.

At 34 percent, China followed Japan, the second year in a row it has ranked second in the survey. Russia finished third with 10 percent.

Ministry officials said the overall result of the survey indicated that Americans continue to highly value the Japan-U.S. relationship.

In a separate survey the ministry conducted in six ASEAN member countries--Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam--30 percent of 1,800 respondents pointed to China as ASEAN's most important diplomatic partner. Japan ranked second with 28 percent and the United States placed third with 23 percent.(IHT/Asahi: May 6,2008)