A record number of Japanese people hope to see a reduction in economic assistance to developing countries now that Japan itself faces economic difficulties, according to a government poll released Saturday.
The Cabinet Office's latest opinion poll on Japan's international relations shows that a record 22.3 percent of the public want such assistance to be cut back, up from 19.3 percent a year earlier, while 4.8 percent said economic aid should be stopped entirely, up from 2.4 percent.
The annual survey has been conducted since 1977. A total of 3,000 people aged 20 or older were questioned for the latest poll, which was conducted in October 2000. Of the total, 2,107 responded.