The approval rate for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's new Cabinet stands at 66.4 percent compared with a disapproval rate of 16.2 percent, a Kyodo News survey showed Thursday, confirming solid public support for Japan's first new leader in nearly eight years.
While a direct comparison cannot be made due to differing polling methods, the figure compares with 62.0 percent for his predecessor Shinzo Abe's Cabinet upon his return to power in December 2012.
Among prime ministers who took office after 2000, only Junichiro Koizumi and Yukio Hatoyama had higher ratings at the beginning of their tenures, at 86.3 percent and 72.0 percent, respectively.