TOKYO: Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba surged nearly 20 percentage points, a Yomiuri newspaper public opinion poll showed on Monday, despite his ruling coalition losing its majority in July’s parliamentary election.
Support for Ishiba’s cabinet stood at 39%, surging by 17 percentage points from last month’s survey taken after the upper house election. The disapproval rate fell to 50% from July’s 67%.
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 rise, 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% said “yes,” down from last month’s 54%, the Yomiuri survey showed.
Fifty percent of respondents said Ishiba did not need to resign, up from 35% in the previous poll.
-Satoshi Sugiyama
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