Public support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hit record lows, polls for two major newspapers showed Monday, turning up the heat on the unpopular leader less than a month before he faces a challenge as head of the ruling party.
Suga failed to capitalize on delivering the Olympics for the nation stricken by COVID-19, as a fresh wave of infections has forced the government to declare a fourth state of emergency in Tokyo and most urban areas amid a sluggish vaccination rollout.
A Mainichi newspaper poll showed public support for Suga slid below 30% for the first time, to stand at a dismal 26%, while the Nikkei daily put his rating at 34%, in line with a record low hit in its survey last month.