Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has surged despite his ruling coalition’s loss of its parliamentary majority in July’s election, a new opinion poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun showed on Monday.
Approval for Ishiba’s cabinet rose to 39%, up 17 percentage points from last month’s survey conducted after the upper house vote. The disapproval rating dropped sharply to 50%, from 67% in July.
The newspaper attributed the rebound to recent policy moves, including Japan’s trade agreement with the United States and government measures to boost rice production amid soaring food prices.
Ishiba, who vowed to remain in office after the electoral setback, has faced calls from within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to step down. However, public opinion now appears to be shifting in his favor.
When asked whether Ishiba should resign, 42% of respondents said “yes,” down from 54% last month, while 50% said he should stay, up from 35% in the previous survey.
The results suggest that despite losing parliamentary ground, Ishiba has managed to stabilize his political standing by securing public backing for key economic and trade initiatives.
Written By Rodney Mbua
