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Book Title in English (Translation) Where is the Division in Japan?: An Analysis of SmartNews Media, Politics, and Public Opinion Survey
 
The term "division" frequently appears in news headlines. Although it often refers to intense political conflict within a divided society, the scope and intensity of such conflict vary depending on whether the division is economic or value-based. Moreover, "division" is not a technical term, but an intuitive label used to describe a situation. Clarifying who is in conflict and what is at stake in the phenomena described as "division" is thus not only academically important but also essential for guiding real-world conflicts toward resolution.
 
Many people believe that the expansion of social media has intensified existing divisions within society. Observing posts and comments on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube may reinforce this perception. However, solid evidence—not impressions or speculation—is necessary to identify where society is truly divided. The book “Where Is the Division in Japan?” is the result of a collaboration among researchers in social psychology, political science, information science, and the SmartNews Media Research Institute. It analyzes public opinion in a divided society using survey data obtained through nationwide probability sampling.
 
The first half of the book, beginning with Chapter 1 offers an overview of the situation in the United States, where visible "division" was evident early and has been widely discussed. Chapter 2 explores traditional and Internet media use in Japan, focusing on age-based differences. Chapter 3 analyzes patterns of media usage and selection among the public.
 
The second half centers on the concept of division and examines five dimensions: (1) ideology, (2) distance from politics, (3) moral values, (4) leadership, and (5) evaluation of political and social prospects. Japanese society is not as ideologically polarized as the United States, nor is the level of conflict particularly intense. As ideological consistency in Japan is low, divisions are interconnected without forming a single, aligned axis. However, when society is divided along multiple lines and becomes more pluralistic, socially significant conflicts struggle to gain political representation, reducing voters’ sense of political efficacy.
 
However, this outlook is not necessarily pessimistic. Unlike in the United States, trust in traditional mass media remains relatively high in Japan, and partisanship and political ideology are not strongly tied to media usage patterns. The relationship between politics and media is reciprocal; they mutually influence each other. As the landscape of the Internet and social media evolves, along with platform use shifts every few years, the design of information dissemination and circulation systems may create an environment that fosters more measured and calm discussions, even amid political conflict.
 

(Written by MAEDA Yukio, Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies / 2025)