Poll reveals huge drop in support for Japanese PM amid scandal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Dec 2023 16:27

Kyodo's poll has shown that the Japanese people's disapproval rating of the Japanese government has reached 65.4%, as it struggles to deal with a deep-rooted scandal.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listens to questions from the media during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, June 13, 2023. (AP)

A poll has revealed a huge drop in the popularity of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisihida, as only 28.3% of the respondents expressed support for Kishida's government.

The poll, conducted by the Japanese news agency Kyodo, showed that the disapproval rating of the current Japanese government has reached 65.4% after a fundraising scandal in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) took the country by storm.

Around 75% of the poll takers said that Kishida lacks leadership concerning dealing with the fundraising scandal, while 77.2% said that the party itself is incapable of reforming itself. The survey was conducted between December 16 and 17, however, the number of respondents was not specified.

The scandal, which is suspected to have contributed to this loss in popularity, involved five factions of the LDP.

Japanese law demands that the names of donors and amounts of the raised money be written in a reporting book if the funds collected at one event exceed 200,000 yen, which amounts to approximately $1,300. However, the party failed to do this.

'Like a ball of fire'

The Tokyo Public Prosecutor's special investigation squad is currently questioning Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers. The scandal has led to the replacement of all four ministers from the implicated faction in Kishida's government, with potential further repercussions for the ruling party as the investigation continues, examining violations of the political funds control law.

In detail, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, Internal Affairs Minister Junji Suzuki, and Agriculture Minister Ichiro Miyashita submitted their resignations. Additionally, Michiko Ueno, a special advisor to the prime minister, and five deputy ministers are stepping down, as stated by Matsuno, who also serves as the chief government spokesman.

Prime Minister Kishida had previously declared that he would confront the allegations directly.

"I will make efforts like a ball of fire and lead the LDP to restore the public's trust," he told reporters.