What CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES does

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES (CRS, 一般社団法人 中央調査社) is a Tokyo-headquartered non-profit public opinion and social research organization established in 1954 as the research arm of Jiji Press, Japan's major news agency. It designs and executes survey research for Japanese national government ministries, academic institutions, corporations, and media organizations, using stratified multi-stage random sampling methodologies, residential map sampling, and resident registry–based sampling to produce nationally representative data. Its product portfolio includes custom ad-hoc commissioned surveys, a monthly individual omnibus survey (4,000 nationally representative respondents), a quarterly resident registry omnibus (2,000 respondents, in-person interviews), a proprietary Master Sample system of approximately 36,000 pre-registered respondents, standalone tabulation services for client-provided data, and international surveys coordinated through overseas partners across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Operationally, CRS executes fieldwork through a network of 53+ branch offices and 700+ registered interviewers across Japan, enabling nationwide face-to-face survey coverage, with a Tokyo headquarters of approximately 35 full-time staff. The company holds a Privacy Mark certification from JIPDEC and is PAPI-compliant under JMRA guidelines, providing the regulatory credentials required to handle personal data for government and academic commissioning work. The business model is fee-for-service research: omnibus surveys are priced per question with tiered rates (180,000 yen per question for 1–5 questions down to 160,000 yen per question for 11+ on the Monthly Individual Omnibus), while commissioned projects are custom-priced based on sample design, methodology, and tabulation requirements. Customer relationships are established through direct engagement and professional networks, with results distributed to media via the Jiji Press partnership and through the quarterly 中央調査報 research publication.

Name

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES

Legal name

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES, INC.

Website

https://crs.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES (一般社団法人 中央調査社, est. 1954, Tokyo) is a non-profit public opinion and social research organization conducting custom surveys, omnibus panels, and tabulation services for the Japanese government, academic institutions, corporations, and media via a nationwide field network and proprietary master sample.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Survey Research (Ad-hoc): Bespoke survey research services commissioned by government agencies, corporations, and academic institutions. Services include survey design, fieldwork, data collection through various methods (face-to-face, telephone, mail, internet), tabulation, and analysis.
2. Monthly Individual Omnibus Survey: Monthly nationally representative survey of 4,000 individuals (approximately 1,100 responses) where multiple clients share costs for questions. Enables frequent tracking of public opinion and market research at reduced cost.
3. Quarterly Resident Registry Omnibus Survey: Bi-annual omnibus survey using stratified two-stage random sampling from resident registries, targeting 2,000 individuals with in-person interviews. Available only for publicly reportable research.
4. Master Sample Services: Provision of pre-existing sample pools for client-conducted surveys, offering cost-effective and rapid survey execution for targeted demographic groups.
5. Tabulation Services: Data processing and statistical tabulation services for clients providing their own raw survey data.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES (中央調査社, CRS) is a Japan-based general incorporated association that conducts public opinion polls, social surveys, and market research on a commissioned basis. Established in 1954, it designs and executes surveys using multiple methodologies (face-to-face, telephone, mail, internet) and operates a proprietary Master Sample database of approximately 36,000 nationally representative respondents along with 53 branch offices and 700+ trained interviewers across Japan.

Product overview

CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES (中央調査社) operates as a full-service opinion poll and social research organization offering a portfolio of survey products and services. The core offerings include: Custom/Ad-hoc Surveys (受託調査) for bespoke research projects tailored to client specifications; the Monthly Individual Omnibus Survey (個人オムニバス) providing monthly nationally representative samples of 4,000 individuals at shared cost; the Quarterly Resident Registry Omnibus (季刊・住基オムニバス) using resident registry-based stratified sampling; Master Samples (マスターサンプル) with approximately 36,000 pre-recruited respondents for expedited research; Tabulation Services (集計受託) for flexible data processing; and International Surveys (海外調査) through a global partner network covering major countries. Since 1960, CRS has conducted the monthly 'Jiji Yoron' public opinion survey in partnership with Jiji Press. The company holds the Privacy Mark certification from JIPDEC and complies with Japan's Personal Information Protection Act and JMRA guidelines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom/Ad-hoc Surveys (受託調査)
• Monthly Individual Omnibus Survey (個人オムニバス)
• Quarterly Resident Registry Omnibus (季刊・住基オムニバス)
• Master Samples (マスターサンプル)
• Tabulation Services (集計受託)
• International Surveys (海外調査)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 21,988 survey and tabulation projects completed since 1954
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Keio University Panel Data Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ongoing commissioned research partnership for the Japanese Household Panel Survey (KHPS/SHIPS) on employment, life circumstances, housing, and health. CRS conducts longitudinal panel surveys for this major academic research initiative.
• Keio University Panel Data Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Second Generation Survey commissioned research partnership examining employment and life circumstances across two generations within families participating in the household panel study.
• Keio University - Professor Akabayashi (Faculty of Economics)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Special survey on children commissioned research partnership examining the relationship between work-life circumstances and child-rearing, conducted as a companion study to the household panel survey.
• JELS (Japan Education Longitudinal Study) Research GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Longitudinal tracking research partnership following children from elementary through high school to examine educational and social outcomes, helping inform education policy.
• Nomura Research Institute (野村総合研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Commissioned research on television and streaming video viewing habits to understand media consumption patterns and inform broadcasting quality improvement.
• Life Insurance Culture Center (公益財団法人保険文化センター)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Commissioned survey on life planning for the 100-year life era, examining attitudes and circumstances of elderly citizens to inform social security policy.
• University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Continuous survey on life circumstances of middle-aged and elderly Japanese, commissioned by the Inclusive Glocal Future Society Department for policy research.
• Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine - Preventive Medicine DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Health status and health behavior survey commissioned research examining physical and mental health factors in changing family structures.
• Cabinet Office Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Survey on green infrastructure and wellbeing commissioned by the national SIP research group to analyze how natural environments contribute to community health.
• University of Tokyo Institute of Social Science - SSM Survey Research GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Commissioned research partnership for the 2025 Social Stratification and Social Mobility Survey (SSM Survey), one of Japan's major academic social research projects. CRS conducts the fieldwork and data collection for this nationwide academic survey.
• Jiji Press (時事通信社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sister organization relationship: CRS was established from Jiji Press's research division in 1954. CRS conducts the monthly Jiji Public Opinion Survey on behalf of Jiji Press, with results distributed to newspapers and published on Jiji.com.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gallup: Global public opinion research firm best known for polling but also offers custom survey research. Comparable to CRS in opinion polling methodology and recurring public-affairs survey offerings, though with global rather than Japan-domestic scale.
• Ipsos: Global market research firm with established Japan presence covering custom research, public opinion, and omnibus products. Direct functional overlap with CRS across public opinion polling and syndicated consumer research.
• Nielsen Holdings: Global market research and audience measurement incumbent with significant Japan operations. Comparable as a custom research and consumer insights provider, though Nielsen's scale and product breadth dwarf CRS's Japan-domestic focus.

Direct peers

• Macromill: Japan's largest online market research firm operating a large proprietary consumer panel and full-service research capabilities. Directly competes with CRS in custom survey and omnibus research, but focuses on digital panels rather than face-to-face fieldwork.
• Central Research (Japan): Note: this is the subject company itself; listed here only as a reference anchor for peer comparison.
• Video Research: Japan's dominant TV ratings and audience research firm also offering custom consumer and opinion research. Comparable as a Japan-domestic specialist research provider with longstanding government and media relationships similar to CRS.
• Cross Marketing: Japanese online market research firm operating D-style and other consumer panels. Competes directly with CRS in custom survey and omnibus research, focused on digital-first methodologies.
• INTAGE: Largest Japanese-owned market research firm offering custom research, panel-based studies (SRI+, SCI), and consumer panel data. Directly comparable to CRS in serving Japanese corporates, government, and academia with large-scale survey research.

Emerging players

• Rakuten Insight: Online panel operator owned by Rakuten Group with broad consumer panel reach across Asia. Overlaps with CRS on custom survey and omnibus work but operates digital-first, contrasting with CRS's face-to-face field model.
• YouGov: Global online opinion and consumer research firm with a Japan panel. Overlaps with CRS in custom public opinion and brand tracking but operates a digital panel model versus CRS's face-to-face/multi-modal approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CENTRAL RESEARCH SERVICES