Approval Rating for New Japanese PM Ishiba’s Cabinet at 50.7%

A recent survey indicated that the approval rating for the Cabinet of newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stands at 50.7%, according to local media reports.

The nationwide survey, conducted by Kyodo News via phone interviews, followed Ishiba’s election as Prime Minister by both chambers of parliament on Tuesday. This approval rating is slightly lower than that of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet, which had an approval rating of 55.7% at its formation in October 2021.

The survey also revealed a disapproval rate of 28.9% for Ishiba’s Cabinet. When asked to identify up to two policy areas that should be prioritized, 55.9% of respondents emphasized the need for economic support, while 29.4% highlighted pensions and social security systems, and 22.7% pointed to child care support and addressing the declining birthrate.

In light of a recent slush fund scandal that has affected public trust in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), 73.0% of respondents expressed skepticism regarding the resolution of issues related to this political fund scandal under the new Prime Minister, compared to 22.8% who expressed hope for resolution.

Ishiba has committed to reforming the LDP and has announced plans for a general election on October 27, following the anticipated dissolution of the ruling coalition-controlled House of Representatives next week.

The survey also revealed that 38.4% of respondents indicated they would vote for the LDP in the proportional representation sections of the upcoming lower house election, while 16.5% favored the major opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.