
Prime Minister Ishiba's Cabinet Approval Rating Drops
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet approval rating has fallen to 33%, according to a recent Asahi Shimbun survey. This represents a decline from the 36% approval rating recorded in the previous survey conducted last December. The disapproval rating has correspondingly jumped to 51% from 43%.
The survey also revealed that a majority of voters, 51%, favor a non-LDP administration, compared to the 34% who prefer an LDP-led government. This shift in sentiment is particularly evident among younger generations, with less than 20% of voters aged 18 to 29 and in their 30s approving the Cabinet.
Public Opinion on Political Parties
When asked which party they would vote for in the proportional representation portion of an Upper House election, 25% of respondents chose the LDP, followed by 15% each for the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP). These two opposition parties are now tied as the top choices in the opposition bloc. Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) was next, picked by 8% of respondents.
Interestingly, a significant gender gap exists in party preference. While 21% of male respondents chose the DPP, only 9% of female respondents did.
Public Perception of Prime Minister Ishiba
The survey also asked respondents to select the positive and negative aspects of Prime Minister Ishiba. For negative aspects, 27% said "nothing in particular," followed by 23% who cited his "leadership" and 19% mentioning his "image."
As for positive aspects, a significant 64% of respondents chose "nothing in particular." Only 20% of all respondents have high expectations for Prime Minister Ishiba's economic policies, while 69% are skeptical of his plans.
Public Perception of the LDP
The recent scandal concerning unreported political funds by the LDP has negatively impacted public perception of the party. 64% of respondents said their impression of the LDP had worsened since the prosecutors' report, while only 26% said it had not. Even among LDP supporters, 50% said their impression had worsened.