Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Faces Falling Approval Ratings Ahead of Key Election

Post by : Saif

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is heading into a crucial national election with her public approval ratings slipping for the first time since she took office. New opinion polls suggest that while she remains personally popular, voter confidence in her economic plans and political timing may be weakening.

According to a recent survey by the Nikkei newspaper, support for Takaichi’s government has fallen to 67%, down from 75% in December. This is the first time her approval has dropped below 70% since she became Japan’s first female prime minister in October. Other polls show a similar trend. A Kyodo survey placed her approval at 63%, while a Mainichi poll showed a sharper fall to 57%.

Takaichi has called a snap election for February 8, asking voters to decide all 465 seats in the lower house of parliament. She has described the vote as a clear judgment on her leadership and her plans to revive Japan’s economy, which is the fourth largest in the world. Her goal is to turn her personal popularity into stronger support for her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

However, the latest polls suggest growing doubts among voters. Many people are unsure whether her proposed stimulus package will help ease the pressure of rising living costs. In the Nikkei survey, more than half of respondents said they did not believe her plan would protect households from higher prices. Investors have also raised concerns that the government may need to issue more debt to pay for the spending, pushing government bond yields higher.

The timing of the election has also caused criticism. Takaichi called the vote before parliament approved Japan’s record national budget, worth about $793 billion. Opposition parties argue this move is politically motivated. Around 40% of respondents in the Mainichi poll said they were unhappy with the election timing.

While Takaichi herself remains more popular than her party, the LDP continues to struggle in public opinion, polling at around 30%. The situation has become more difficult after the centrist Komeito party ended its long alliance with the LDP and joined the main opposition. This shift could hurt the ruling party in key urban areas.

Political analysts say the election outcome is uncertain. The central question is whether Takaichi can use her personal appeal to rebuild trust in her party and convince voters that her economic plans are worth supporting. As one expert noted, this could be Japan’s most unpredictable election in years.

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