Takaichi Cabinet Approval Rate Falls to 59.3 Pct: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–The public approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet dropped 4.5 percentage points from the previous month to 59.3 pct in March, a Jiji Press survey showed Thursday. The fall followed the revelation that Takaichi, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, distributed gift catalogs to the party’s House of Representatives lawmakers who won Lower House seats in the Feb. 8 general election. In the February survey, the approval rate hit 63.8 pct, tying the highest figure since Takaichi took office as prime minister in October last year. According to the latest survey, conducted for four days through Monday, both the proportion of respondents who did not support the cabinet and those who did not have a strong opinion on the matter came to 20.3 pct. The interview survey covered 2,000 people aged 18 or older across the country. Valid responses were given by 57.5 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]