Approximately 4,700 households with more than two people are included in the Japan Monthly Consumer Confidence Survey, which is conducted through direct visitation. The poll asks on four topics: consumer perceptions of their entire livelihood, income growth, employment, and propensity to purchase durable products, among others. On the basis of the respondents' assessments of the prospects for each subject over the next six months, an index is calculated for each subject for the following six months. It is calculated as the simple average of the four consumer perception indexes, which is known as the Consumer Confidence Index. A score of greater than 50 implies positivity, a score of less than 50 indicates a loss of confidence, and a score of 50 indicates neutrality.