Approval Rate for Ishiba Rises

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba eventually restores support for his Cabinet in mid-August. In the poll of Asahi Shimbun, the responders who thought the prime minister did not have to resign increased, as approval rate showed certain rise from the previous month. The trend of public support for Ishiba may have impact on the struggle for replacing Ishiba with early presidential election.

Since the Liberal Democratic Party suffered from serious defeat in the Upper House election in July, public support for Ishiba declined, accelerating argument in the LDP to seek replacement of Ishiba as the president. However, Ishiba insisted on remaining the seat to deal with tariff negotiation with the United States, or to deliver message for 80th anniversary of Hiroshina, Nagasaki and the end of the war.

 

Asahi poll, conducted on August 16th and 17th showed that who thought Ishiba should resign was 36 percent, declining by 5 percentage points from July, and 54 percent recognized that he did not need to step down with 7 points of surge. Approval rate of Ishiba Cabinet was 36 precent, marking 7 points of increase from 29 percent in last month. However, 50 percent still did not support the Cabinet with 6 points down.

 

The greatest reason for supporting Ishiba was that there would be no appropriate alternative to him. Following that, 9 percent supported the Cabinet because the prime minister was Ishiba, 6 percent supported policies of the cabinet, and 5 percent liked it because it was led by the LDP.

 

It was remarkable that 49 percent answered that they were not satisfied with the movement in the LDP to replace Ishiba, seeking someone who would take responsibility for the defeat in the Upper House election. Other 37 percent were satisfied with the movement.

 

The LDP supporters were more supportive for Ishiba than others. As 76 percent responded that Ishiba did not need to go, only 20 percent thought that he should leave. Their frustration against the movement in the LDP was 60 percent, while 30 percent were supporting anti-Ishiba argument.

 

The LDP topped in support for parties with 20 percent of support. It was followed by the Democratic Party for the People with 10 percent, by Sanseito with 9 percent, and by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan with 5 percent. Support for Japan Innovation Party and Komeito was as low as 4 percent and 3 percent.

 

Nikkei Shimbun disclosed its unique index, which is called “prime minister premium,” the margin between approval rate for cabinet and supporting rate of leading party. In its poll in late July, approval for Ishiba Cabinet was 32 percent, while the LDP received 24 percent of support. The margin was 8 percentage points of plus. Approval for Ishiba Cabinet has always been higher than support for the LDP, since the beginning in last fall.

 

Approval rate for cabinet was frequently lower than supporting rate for the LDP in the administration of Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida. This approval would encourage Ishiba to maintain his administration, in spite of anti-Ishiba movement in the LDP.

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