Study on the present state of the perception structure of science technology in Japan for improving the risk literacy of the public.

一项针对日本成年人的全国性调查评估了他们对科学技术的理解和风险认知结构。研究结果表明：1)对科学技术在日常生活中的需要或益处的认识与风险感知有关。人们认为对生活更重要或更有益的技术往往被低估了其健康风险。2)截至2010年3月，也就是调查进行的时间，也就是日本东部大地震前一年，日本公众意识到“大地震”的风险增加。这是地震频发的日本人民面临的直接威胁。尤其是生活在关东或东海地区的人往往比其他人估计的风险更高，而生活在东北地区的人往往低估了这种风险。日本东部大地震极有可能导致日本人的风险认知发生很大变化。公众对科学技术的风险认知的变化需要进行持续的调查。

A nationwide survey of Japanese adults assessed understanding and risk perception structure of science technology. The result shows ; 1) the recognition of the need or benefit of the science technology for daily life ware associated with risk perception. The technology that people thought that was more essential or offered more benefits for their life tended to be underestimated health risk of it. 2) As of March 2010, that was the time the survey conducted and was one year before the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japanese public was aware of increased risk of "big earthquake". That was the immediate threat for the people of quake-prone Japan. Especially people who lived in Kanto or Toukai region tended to estimate the risk higher than the others people, and who lived in Tohoku region tended to underestimate that risk. There is a high possibility that the Great East Japan Earthquake cause a large change in Japanese risk perception. The changes in the public risk perception of science technology are needed to make a continual survey.