The support rate for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet rose to more than 50% in a Nikkei newspaper poll for the first time in eight months, adding fuel to speculation he could call an early general election.
Some 52% of respondents to the Nikkei poll released late Sunday said they supported Kishida, up 4 percentage points on the previous month. Two other surveys also showed increases in approval for the prime minister, who is set to host the Group of Seven summit in his constituency of Hiroshima later this month.
While the prime minister need not hold a general election until 2025, renewing his mandate might help him keep control of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party as he heads into divisive debates over how to fund his policy pledges on defense and support for families.