Faced with major crises — from the coronavirus pandemic to Russia's invasion of Ukraine — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been met with steady support at home.
Six months into his tenure, poll results show that Kishida has maintained relatively high approval ratings throughout the period, a rarity among recent prime ministers. Even a post-New Year's spike in both COVID-19 cases and deaths appears not to have dented his popularity among the public.
Partly this can be attributed to circumstance. The war in Ukraine is an emotive, unifying issue, and Japanese citizens have strongly backed the Kishida administration's sanctions on Russia following the invasion of its neighbor. Similarly, there was a general lack of trust in the former administration that could only be improved upon by the next leader.