Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The approval rating of the Cabinet of Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru has risen to 34.4 percent according to a poll by All Nippon News Network conducted on June 7 and 8.

The Ishiba Cabinet’s approval rating rose 6.8 points from last month, while the disapproval rating was 46.4 percent. 

The policy that people place the most importance on ahead of the July 20 House of Councilors election is “measures to deal with the economy and high prices,” cited by 69 percent of the respondents, followed by the “pension and social security systems.”

Since the release of stockpiled rice began in March, 40 percent of people felt that the price of rice had risen, 9 percent felt that it had fallen, and 42 percent felt that it had “remained the same”. 

In addition, 72 percent of people said that they “approved” of the sale of stockpiled rice promoted by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister KOIZUMI Shinjiro, while 18 percent “did not approve”. Twenty-one percent “thought” the amount of rice imported from abroad should be increased, while 68 percent “did not think so”. 

Forty-four percent of people expect the government, including the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party to continue, while 40 percent expect it to be replaced by one that does not include the LDP.