Takaichi Cabinet Approval Rises to 61 Pct: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, Jan. 15 (Jiji Press)–The approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet increased 1.1 percentage points to 61.0 pct in January from the previous month, a poll conducted by Jiji Press showed Thursday. The cabinet has been able to maintain its public support rate at around 60 pct since it was launched in October last year. According to the survey conducted for four days through Monday, the disapproval rate for the cabinet rose 1.5 points to 15.1 pct. The Chinese government has strongly protested remarks made by Takaichi during a parliamentary meeting on a potential Taiwan contingency. Beijing has put pressure on Tokyo including through increased regulations on Japan-bound shipments of Chinese rare earth minerals. But Takaichi has not changed her stance on the issue. In the survey, 44.4 pct of respondents said they support the stance the Japanese prime minister has taken toward the Chinese government, while 21.8 pct said that they disapprove. Asked about reasons for supporting the Takaichi cabinet, with multiple answers allowed, 28.8 pct said the prime minister displays leadership, and 20.8 pct said her cabinet made a good impression. Respondents who answered that they trust Takaichi accounted for 19.9 pct. Asked about reasons for disapproving of the cabinet, 6.0 pct said that they cannot have hope for it and 5.2 pct said they disapprove of its policies. By political party, the public support rate for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is led by Takaichi, increased 1.6 points to 22.5 pct. That for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan rose 0.2 point to 4.2 pct. The opposition Democratic Party for the People was supported by 3.6 pct, opposition Sanseito by 3.4 pct and Komeito, former coalition partner of the LDP and now in the opposition camp, by 2.5 pct. The Japan Innovation Party, the LDP’s new coalition partner, was backed by 2.3 pct. Among other opposition parties, support for the Japanese Communist Party and the Conservative Party of Japan was 1.1 pct, respectively. The figure stood at 0.9 pct for Reiwa Shinsengumi, 0.2 pct for Team Mirai and 0.1 pct for the Social Democratic Party. Respondents who do not support specific political parties accounted for 55.2 pct. The survey was conducted with 2,000 people aged 18 or over across the country. Valid responses came from 58.5 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]