Following a joint press statement, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and South Korean President Lee exchange applause, Jan. 13, Nara City. (Pool photo)
A mid-January Gallup Korea survey asking South Koreans about their impression of the leaders of Japan, the United States, China, and Russia placed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the top.
Even so, her favorability stood at just 22%, highlighting the reality that the leaders of all major powers polled command strikingly low public support in South Korea.
Historically, Japanese prime ministers have recorded very low approval ratings in South Korea. Shinzo Abe's favorability, for instance, hovered between 3% and 6%, while Fumio Kishida's stood at around 6%.
Abe, who imposed tighter export controls on South Korea in 2019, faced particularly strong backlash, triggering a nationwide boycott of Japanese products under the slogan "No Abe."
South Korean media initially described Takaichi — who has called for the continuation of Abe's policies— as an "avatar of Abe," reflecting a cautious tone.
Simultaneously, media coverage emphasized her conciliatory gestures and remarks. These included comments such as, "I absolutely love Korean seaweed, use Korean cosmetics, and watch Korean dramas," as well as her noticeable bow to the South Korean flag during a bilateral summit.
How Koreans View World Leaders
According to Gallup Korea, "Korean sentiment toward Japan is more conciliatory than ever before." The new progressive Lee Jae-myung administration has largely preserved the Japan-friendly framework of the previous conservative Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Against this backdrop, Takaichi's approval rating reached a level second only to that of former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who recorded 27% in an August 2022 survey.
Chinese President Xi Jinping placed second in the survey with a 21% favorability rating, behind the Japanese leader. This marked an 11-point increase from August 2025, and follows President Lee's visit to Beijing and the China–South Korea summit in early January.
During the Park Geun-hye administration in 2014, Xi's approval rating in South Korea reached as high as 59%, but it subsequently plummeted.
Beijing's heavy-handed response to Seoul's deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from the United States, alongside de facto restrictions on Korean dramas and music in the Chinese market, fueled widespread resentment in South Korea.
Still, Xi's unfavorable rating stood at 66% in the latest survey, indicating that anti-China sentiment remains entrenched.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin ranked last with an approval rating of 6%. The result is widely seen as being influenced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its expanding military cooperation with North Korea.
Eroding Trust in the US
The sharpest change, however, appeared in attitudes toward the United States. American presidents have historically enjoyed comparatively high favorability in South Korea, with President Obama at 71% in 2013 and President Biden at 49% in 2021.
By contrast, the latest survey shows President Donald Trump with only 19% favorability and a 71% unfavorable rating.
Trump's approval rating stood at 32% in a May 2018 survey during his first term, even as expectations for peace on the Korean Peninsula rose ahead of the historic first US–North Korea summit.
The recent spike in negative sentiment likely reflects public discomfort with what is seen as a self-serving posture by Washington, including threatening allies with high tariffs to extract massive investment from partner countries.
Trump's unapologetic prioritization of American interests has also heightened fears that the bilateral alliance with Seoul, a cornerstone of regional security, could be shaken.
Encircled by major powers — the US, China, and Russia — whose leaders are viewed with increasing skepticism, South Korea is, by a process of elimination, coming to see Tokyo as the most reliable and acceptable partner.
Moreover, Lee's foreign policy, which now prioritizes improved ties with Japan despite his earlier criticism as an opposition leader, is largely consonant with the latest shifts in public sentiment.
RELATED:
- Takaichi and Lee Pledge Closer Ties Amid Rising Regional Tensions
- Trump Tariffs May Push More Countries Toward China
- Takaichi Approval Remains High at 75%, Majority Support Taiwan Remarks
Author: Norio Sakurai, The Sankei Shimbun Seoul bureau chief
(Read this in Japanese)
