The approval rate for Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's Cabinet improved slightly after the reshuffle on Dec. 5, according to the latest Kyodo News poll released Monday.
The approval rate was 19 percent, up a single percentage point from the last survey in late October.
The disapproval rate was 65 percent, down 2 points from the previous poll but still high enough to conclude the reshuffled Cabinet lacks voter support.
However, while Mori's unpopularity decreased slightly, it had the opposite effect on his party.
Only 22 percent of the respondents picked the LDP when asked which major party they favor, a setback of 6 points from the previous survey.
The largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan gained 3 points to 19 percent, making its support rate very close to the LDP's.
The latest poll was based on telephone interviews conducted Saturday and Sunday with 1,000 randomly selected people.
Asked how long Mori should stay in power, 57 percent of the respondents answered they wanted him to step down as soon as possible. Some 28 percent answered that Mori should remain in office until the next House of Councilors election, slated for July 2001.
On the other hand, a mere 4 percent of the respondents said they wanted Mori to serve as prime minister for as long as he can.
As for the new Cabinet, 57 percent of the respondents said the reshuffle was focused on ruling Liberal Democratic Party factions, with 39 percent saying the reshuffle did not make any difference.