In Japan, Prime Minister Takaichi’s government approval rating falls to 44.1% — The Japan Times
In Japan, the approval rating of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government fell to 44.1% in September, down 4.3 percentage points from the previous month. This is the lowest figure since she took office in October last year, and the decline has continued for a fourth consecutive month, The Japan Times reports, citing a Jiji Press poll.
The share of respondents who do not support Takaichi’s cabinet rose by 2.4 percentage points to 29.3%. The survey was conducted over four days through Monday among 2,000 people aged 18 and older. The valid response rate was 57.1%.
Appointments amid scandal
According to the poll results, 68.6% of respondents opposed Takaichi’s decision to appoint lawmakers implicated in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s slush fund scandal to key party or government posts. Only 11.8% of those surveyed supported the decision. Even among Liberal Democratic Party supporters, 53.6% spoke out against such appointments.
The idea of passing, during an extraordinary parliamentary session that may begin in early October, a law to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Japan’s parliament, was supported by 59.2% of respondents. A total of 18.3% opposed it.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Party ratings and food tax
The Liberal Democratic Party retained the highest support rating at 23.2%, although its figure fell by 1.4 percentage points over the month. The party’s former coalition partner, Komeito, received 3.2%. Support for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People stood at 2.8% each, while 56.7% of respondents did not support any political force.
Survey participants were also asked about the government’s plan to temporarily reduce the consumption tax on food products from 8% to 1% for two years, and then return the rate to 8%. A total of 56.9% of respondents opposed restoring the previous rate after the period ends, while 23.9% supported it.
The poll results do not take into account personnel changes in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership made on Wednesday or the cabinet reshuffle on Thursday.
