Public Support for Takaichi Cabinet Dips to 59.9 Pct: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet fell 3.9 percentage points from the previous month to 59.9 pct in December, a monthly survey by Jiji Press showed Thursday. The approval rate dipped after logging the second-highest level for a newly launched cabinet since 1960 in November. In the December poll, the disapproval rate stood at 13.6 pct. When asked about reasons for backing the Takaichi cabinet, with multiple answers allowed, 26.4 pct of respondents said Takaichi is a good leader, 20.3 pct said they trust the prime minister, 18.2 pct said they have a positive impression of the cabinet, and 12.5 pct said they favor its policies. As reasons for disapproving of the cabinet, 5.3 pct said they cannot trust the cabinet, and 4.9 pct said they can expect little from it. In the latest poll, 2,000 people aged 18 and over were interviewed nationwide over four days through Monday. Valid responses came from 56.6 pct of them. Regarding the government’s fiscal 2025 supplementary budget bill, 58.4 pct of respondents supported the additional child allowance of 20,000 yen per child and subsidies for electricity and gas bills during the winter, far outnumbering the 22.1 pct who opposed the measures. Even among supporters of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 46.7 pct backed the measures. On the timing of the next general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, 19.1 pct said it should be held as soon as possible, while 45.7 pct said it should not. An early Lower House election was favored by 20.3 pct among supporters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and by 14.6 pct among those of the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), the LDP’s coalition partner. Support for the LDP fell 0.9 point to 20.9 pct, the highest figure by party. Meanwhile, the CDP led the opposition camp for the first time in five months, with its support rate rising 0.4 point to 4.0 pct. The JIP and Komeito were each backed by 3.6 pct, followed by the Democratic Party for the People with 3.4 pct, Sanseito with 3.0 pct, the Japanese Communist Party and the Conservative Party of Japan with 0.9 pct each, Reiwa Shinsengumi with 0.7 pct, Team Mirai with 0.4 pct and the Social Democratic Party with 0.2 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]