TOKYO: Public support for Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio’s cabinet dropped to 16.6 percent in April, a new low for the administration since its launch in October 2021, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday.

The approval rate fell 1.4 percentage points from the previous month, while the disapproval rate climbed 2.0 points to 59.4 percent. Twenty-four percent of respondents had no opinion.

Punishments announced last week by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, headed by Kishida, for senior members of party factions involved in a slush funds scandal failed to lead to a rebound in cabinet support.

The approval rate breached the previous low of 16.9 percent marked in February, sinking to the worst level since the LDP returned to power in December 2012.

In the latest poll, support for the LDP fell 2.4 points to 15.3 percent.

JIJI Press