Support for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government has weakened, according to public opinion surveys published by major Japanese news organizations over the weekend, although it remains unlikely he’ll be ousted before a national election in July.
Polls published by the Yomiuri and Mainichi newspapers, as well as a survey from Kyodo News, showed support for Ishiba’s Cabinet ranging from 22% to 31%, the lowest levels in each survey since Ishiba became national leader in October last year.
High food prices, including the cost of rice, was a major factor in a 5.2 percentage point fall in the approval rating to 27.4% in the Kyodo survey. The same opinion poll also found that 74.3% of respondents said they were not expecting a positive outcome from Japan’s talks with the United States over tariffs. The Yomiuri poll cited general disappointment in the prime minister’s policies.
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