Takaichi Cabinet Support Falls, Some Polls Show Approval Below 50%

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Support for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet has been declining across the board, according to July public opinion polls conducted by several media outlets.

A joint poll by The Sankei Shimbun and FNN (Fuji News Network) showed a relatively modest drop of 3.7 percentage points, while a Mainichi Shimbun poll found that support had plunged 10 points from the previous month. A Jiji Press poll also showed the Cabinet's approval rating falling below 50%.

The Takaichi administration had maintained strong approval ratings since taking office in October last year, but concerns over economic measures and the government's handling of parliamentary affairs appear to have gradually eroded its support.

Support Falls Across Polls

In the Sankei-FNN poll, the Cabinet's approval rating stood at 75.4% immediately after its launch and remained at a high level thereafter. The latest survey, conducted on July 11 and 12, showed support still at a relatively high 61.6%, although it marked the third consecutive month of decline.

Polls conducted by other media outlets in the latter half of July showed a more pronounced downward trend. An Asahi Shimbun poll found that support had fallen 7 percentage points from its June survey to 53%, marking the first time it had dropped into the 50% range.

A Mainichi Shimbun poll showed a 10-point decline from the previous survey, pushing support below 50% for the first time. Both surveys were conducted on July 18 and 19.

Economic Concerns and Diet Management

Analysts and ruling party officials have pointed to several possible reasons for the decline, including uncertainty over a possible consumption tax cut, rising prices, and debate over revisions to the Imperial House Law.

A senior Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) official said, "There are likely multiple factors behind the decline in support, including the government's approach to Diet management following its landslide victory in the Lower House election, which some may have viewed as overly forceful."

LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said at a press conference on July 21, "I am aware that support has fallen by a significant margin, but our basic stance is not to overreact to every rise and fall. We want to analyze the reasons behind the decline and use that analysis to move forward with our policies."

Within the LDP, views are divided between optimism and caution. One lawmaker said, "Even if support has fallen, it is still high compared with previous Cabinets. We should not panic and should focus on steadily implementing our policies."

A former Cabinet minister, however, warned, "Once support starts declining, it may become difficult to halt the downward trend."