Support for Japan PM Kishida’s cabinet slumps -media poll

June 19, 2023

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida — KYODO/VIA REUTERS

TOKYO – Support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet slid 12 percentage points to 33%, coming off a peak during a Group of Seven leaders summit in Hiroshima, the Mainichi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing its own poll.

The disapproval rate rose to 58% from 46% in the previous survey in late May, after a scandal involving Kishida’s eldest son and a series of technical problems with the national identity card system, according to Mainichi, which conducted the poll over the weekend.

Approval for the Kishida government had been on the upswing in the run up to the G7, reaching the highest level last month since August 2022, Mainichi said. Some had speculated Kishida would call a snap election in advance of the party leadership race next year.

A separate poll conducted by the Kyodo news agency showed on Sunday that support for Mr. Kishida’s cabinet sank to 40.8% from 47% in May. – Reuters