Japan opinion poll shows approval of Suga Cabinet almost flat at 33%

The public approval rate for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s Cabinet inched up 0.9 percentage point in June from the previous month to 33.1%, a Jiji Press opinion survey showed Friday.

The disapproval rate fell 0.4 point to 44.2%, according to the survey, which was conducted for four days through Monday. Disapproval exceeded approval for the sixth successive month.

The Suga government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis was rated negatively by 55.1% of all respondents, down 9.5 points, and rated positively by 23.2%, up 5.6 points. The proportion of people who answered neither or said they did not know came to 21.7%.

The proportion of respondents who said COVID-19 vaccinations, branded by Suga as the trump card in the fight against the virus, have been slow came to 69.4%, far higher than the 20.0% who said they believed inoculations were steadily underway, while 10.5% gave neither answer or said they did not know.

Among those who approved of the Suga Cabinet, with multiple answers allowed, 13.7% said there was no other person suitable to be prime minister, 8.3% said they trusted Suga and 5.9% said they had a good impression of him.

Of those who expressed disapproval of the Cabinet, 23.6% said they had no expectations of Suga, 22.7% said he lacked leadership skills and 16.9% said they could not trust the prime minister.

Suga’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party was supported by 22.8% of all respondents.

The support rate stood at 3.7% for Komeito, the LDP’s coalition partner, 2.9% for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 1.7% for the Japanese Communist Party, 1.2% for Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and 0.5% for the Democratic Party for the People.

The Social Democratic Party and Reiwa Shinsengumi were each supported by 0.2%, and Furui Seito kara Kokumin wo Mamoru To (the party that protects people from old parties) by 0.1%.

The proportion of respondents in support of no particular party came to 63.2%.