Key facts
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet approval rating fell 10 points to 58% in a Nikkei poll.
- Disapproval rose to 37% in the Nikkei poll, with independents showing over 50% disapproval.
- A separate Mainichi Shimbun poll also showed Takaichi's cabinet approval at 58%, a 3-point drop.
- A significant majority (72%) in the Mainichi poll opposed U.S. and Israel's attacks on Iran.
- Nearly half (49%) in the Mainichi poll opposed dispatching the SDF to the Middle East.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet has seen a significant drop in public approval, falling 10 percentage points to 58% in a recent Nikkei poll. This marks the first time since Takaichi took office last October that her cabinet's approval rating has dipped below 60%. The disapproval rating rose by 10 points to 37%, with a notable finding being that over 50% of independents expressed disapproval.
A separate poll by the Mainichi Shimbun conducted on March 28-29 also reported Takaichi's cabinet approval rating at 58%, a 3-point decrease from the previous survey. In this poll, disapproval increased by 3 points to 28%.
Regarding international affairs, the Mainichi poll revealed that 72% of respondents did not support the joint armed attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran. Furthermore, 49% of respondents stated that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) should not be dispatched to the Middle East, while only 4% believed they should be sent even before a ceasefire.
When evaluating the recent Japan-U.S. summit, 42% of Mainichi poll respondents viewed it favorably, compared to 22% who did not. The summit addressed escalating tensions in the Middle East and the safety of the Strait of Hormuz.
Respondents were divided on Takaichi's stance regarding whether the U.S. attacks on Iran violated international law, with 33% supporting her position, 36% opposing it, and 29% unsure. The ruling coalition's management of the Diet, specifically the passage of the fiscal 2026 budget bill with reduced deliberation time, also drew mixed reactions, with 37% finding it problematic and 38% not.
Public opinion on the Takaichi Cabinet's measures against rising prices was largely unfavorable, with only 19% approving and 39% disapproving.
Reasons cited for supporting the cabinet in the Nikkei poll included 'the prime minister's character is trustworthy' (35%) and 'has leadership' (33%). Top reasons for disapproval were 'because it is an LDP-centered cabinet' (41%) and 'its policies are bad' (35%). The Mainichi poll indicated 'expectations for the prime minister's leadership' (56%) as a primary reason for support, while 'can't expect much from its policy measures' (38%) was the leading reason for disapproval.
The Nikkei poll indicated the LDP's support rate remained at 41%, with the Japan Innovation Party at 4%. Sanseito garnered 6% support, followed by the Democratic Party for the People and the Constitutional Democratic Party at 5% each. Independents accounted for 21% of respondents.