Ishiba Still Favored To Retain Post As Japan PM As Support Rises To 29%

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet approval rating rose five percentage points from the previous month to 29%, according to a Mainichi Shimbun opinion poll conducted over the weekend.

By party affiliation, Ishiba’s Cabinet received support from 70% of LDP voters and more than 40% of Komeito voters. I Photo: Shigeru Ishiba Facebook

Ishiba also topped the list of preferred candidates for the next prime minister, Muneyoshi Mitsuda reported for Mainichi Japan.

The nationwide survey, conducted on July 26 and 27, found that the Cabinet’s disapproval rating stood at 59%, virtually unchanged from 61% in the previous poll conducted on June 28 and 29.

When asked who they thought was best suited to serve as the next prime minister, 20% of respondents named Ishiba—the largest share for any individual.

Although some critics have questioned Ishiba’s responsibility for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito’s poor performance in the July 20 House of Councilors election, many respondents expressed support in the poll’s comment section, with remarks such as “There is no one else,” and “It is a difficult time with the U.S. tariff issue.”

By party affiliation, Ishiba’s Cabinet received support from 70% of LDP voters and more than 40% of Komeito voters.

Approval was also noted among opposition parties, with 35% of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) supporters, and 30% each from backers of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP).

However, support was significantly lower among supporters of the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) and Sanseito, at just 7% each.