
TOKYO: The approval rating of Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru’s Cabinet was 41.4%, down 0.7 points from the previous survey, according to the latest JNN TV opinion poll.
Conversely, the disapproval rate has notably increased, rising by 2.8 points to 55.2%. Analysts say this uptick underscores the current government’s significant hurdles in garnering public support.
When asked how long they would like Prime Minister Ishiba to remain in office, 22% of the respondents answered, “as long as possible,” while 19% answered “until around spring when the 2025 budget is passed.”
Meanwhile, 36% of the participants gave Ishiba a little longer stay at the helm, answering “until the summer House of Councilors’ election.” These responses suggest the Ishiba Cabinet’s popularity may significantly impact the upcoming election.
Regarding the Japanese political parties’ approval ratings, the main parties continue to lose support, with the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) popularity falling 2.0 points from the previous survey to 26.2%. The Constitutional Democratic Party’s support fell 0.3 points to 8.2%. The Japan Restoration Party’s support fell 1.5 points to 2.5%. This ongoing fluctuation underscores the uncertainty in the current political landscape.
However, the Democratic Party for the People’s support rose by 2.2 points to 11.0% despite the love affair exposed by its leader, TAMAKI, who was suspended for 3 months.
The survey was conducted on Jan. 4-5. The organizers randomly asked 2,719 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide (903 landlines and 1,816 mobile phones) and received valid responses from 1,018 people, or 37.4% of the total.