Approval of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government has fallen to 33.1 percent, the lowest since he was elected to office last October 2021, according to a poll conducted by the Kyodo news agency.
The latest survey, conducted by Japanese public television NHK, already put the popularity rating of Kishida’s cabinet at 33 percent, down five points from the previous month.
Thus, the new Kyodo survey shows that 62.4 percent of respondents consider Kishida’s recent dismissal of three ministers as a measure that was taken «too late», while only 26 percent say it was «the right time».
The poll also shows that 60.8 percent of respondents approve of Japan being able to launch counterattacks against enemy bases, while 35 percent disapprove of the idea, according to the news agency.
Kishida announced Monday the appointment of former Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto as the new head of the Interior Ministry, replacing Minoru Terada, who resigned over a bribery scandal.
Terada paid around 40,000 yen (280 euros) as a reward to six local assembly members in his constituency in Hiroshima Prefecture for their support in his election campaign in October last year.
His resignation follows that of Economic Revitalization Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa, who resigned in October over his ties with the Unification Church, now a target of criticism after the assassin of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denounced relations between the organization and Japanese politicians.
The Japanese Prime Minister also dismissed the then Justice Minister, Yasuhiro Hanashi, on November 11 after frivolous comments on the death penalty.
