Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s low popularity ratings have made it difficult for him to dissolve parliament and hold an election in the coming months out of concern of a voter backlash against the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
But despite those worries, Kishida might still decide to call a snap election in the hopes of catching rival party Nippon Ishin no Kai unprepared and put a stop to its efforts to become a “second LDP” — or the second party in a two-party system.
Due to public anger over the My Number insurance card problems, Kishida’s poll numbers this month are dismal. A Jiji Press poll taken from Aug. 4 to 7 showed his Cabinet support rate at just 26.6%; 47.4% said they did not support him. An NHK poll conducted from Aug. 11 to 13 showed his support rate at 33%, with a 45% disapproval rate.