TOKYO, May 19: The approval rating of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s cabinet hit a record low of 22 percent, the Japanese newspaper Mainichi reported on Monday.
The approval rating dropped 2 percentage points from April, dipping below March’s previous low of 23%, with 62% of respondents expressing distrust in the government.
Forty-seven percent cited “lack of hope for the government measures,” while 34% pointed to Ishiba’s “lack of leadership skills” as reasons for their skepticism. Even among supporters, 49% backed the government simply because they saw “lack of other candidates or parties.”
Since Ishiba took office in October with a 46% approval rating, public support has declined steadily, the Mainichi reported. The poll was conducted by phone from May 17-18 among 2,045 participants.
A survey released on Sunday by Kyodo News agency put the approval rating of Shigeru Ishiba’s government at its lowest level of 27.4%, down 5.2 points from April and below March’s 27.6%. Distrust stood at 55.1%.
The Yomiuri newspaper reported on April 14 that its own surveys showed the government’s rating stuck at a record-low 31% for the third straight month.
Japan will hold upper-house elections in the summer. The low level of support for the government could negatively affect the results of Ishiba’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (UNI)
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