According to the latest Kyodo News poll released Sunday, the approval rating for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet has fallen to 48.1 percent, down 6.8 percentage points from the previous poll conducted in early September.
The latest telephone survey also showed that 65.9 percent of respondents were opposed to raising the consumption tax rate to 10 percent in October next year from the current 8 percent as required by law, while those in favor accounted for 31 percent.
The poll, which covered 1,015 eligible voters, was conducted Saturday and Sunday amid growing questions over the financial reports of political groups associated with trade and industry minister Yuko Obuchi and the alleged misuse of money by her political funds control body.