Japan PM Takaichi’s administration sees approval rating fall to 67%: poll

[TOKYO] Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration saw its approval rating fall to 67 per cent from 75 per cent in December, according to a poll conducted by the Nikkei newspaper and TV Tokyo for three days through Sunday.

It was the first time the approval rating had fallen below 70 per cent since Takaichi was sworn in as prime minister in October, the Nikkei reported on Sunday.

The ratio of those who said they do not support Takaichi’s administration rose to 26 per cent from 18 per cent in the previous poll in December, it said.

Of the total, 56 per cent said they did not think Takaichi’s stimulus package designed to cushion the blow from rising living costs would be effective, higher than the 38 per cent who thought it would have a positive effect.

Takaichi called a snap general election on Feb 8 to seek a mandate to gear up her expansionary fiscal policy, a move that triggered a spike in bond yields on market concerns Japan may be forced to issue additional debt. REUTERS