When Taro Aso became prime minister in September, he was chosen by his peers in the Liberal Democratic Party as the man who would reverse their declining ratings. But after three months of the extraordinary Diet session, which closes Thursday, Aso's Cabinet already seems to be in trouble.
Recent polls by various news organizations show Aso's support rate has declined sharply to around 20 percent. According to the most recent poll by Jiji Press, the approval rate for Aso's Cabinet has sunk to just 16.7 percent.
Aso has faced tough times during this Diet session, having to deal with the fallout from the global financial crisis as well as the opposition-controlled Upper House, which also proved a thorn in the sides of his predecessors Yasuo Fukuda and Shinzo Abe.