Key facts
- Takaichi's administration approval rating was 49.1% in an Oct. 17-18 poll.
- 57.7% of respondents felt Takaichi's decision to replace farm minister Kazuo Yana was too late.
- 81.5% of respondents believed Yana's resignation was natural.
The approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration fell below 50% to its lowest level since she took office in October last year, Kyodo News Agency reported on Sunday. A poll conducted between October 17 and 18 showed the approval rating at 49.1%. The decline may be linked to Takaichi's slow response regarding the resignation of Kazuo Yana as farm minister. Yana stepped down on Wednesday after facing criticism for remarks about cutting road funding for municipalities that did not support him. Some 57.7% of respondents said Takaichi's decision to replace Yana came too late, while 81.5% said it was natural for Yana to resign.