TOKYO: Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba surged nearly 20 percentage points, a Yomiuri newspaper public opinion poll showed on Monday (Aug 25), despite his ruling coalition losing its majority in July’s parliamentary election.
Support for Ishiba’s Cabinet stood at 39 per cent, surging by 17 percentage points from last month’s survey taken after the upper house election. The disapproval rate fell to 50 per cent from July’s 67 per cent.
The public approval for the prime minister likely bounced thanks to factors such as Japan reaching a trade deal with the United States and the government’s announcement of increasing rice production to counter sharp price rises, the newspaper reported.
Ishiba vowed to stay in his post after the election defeat, fending off demands by some of his Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers to resign to take responsibility.
Asked whether Ishiba should step down following the election results, 42 per cent said “yes”, down from last month’s 54 per cent, the Yomiuri survey showed.
50 per cent of respondents said Ishiba did not need to resign, up from 35 per cent in the previous poll.
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