Japanese PM Suga's Support Drops to Low Point, Economic Concerns Intensify

JAKARTA - Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is increasingly eroded. Launching a Kyodo News survey released Sunday, the approval rate for his cabinet fell to 55.8 percent. This is the lowest figure since Takaichi came to power in October last year.

The decline comes as Japan is overshadowed by economic anxiety due to the Middle East conflict. For a country that is poor in natural resources and dependent on energy imports, turmoil in the region is not far news. The impact can ripple into fuel prices, industrial raw materials, logistics costs, and even daily spending for residents.

The Kyodo survey was conducted after the United States and Iran reached an initial peace deal. In the deal, Tehran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for world energy trade.

However, the Japanese public seems to be holding back. In the same poll, 54.7 percent of respondents judged that Japan did not need to send the Japanese Self-Defense Forces or SDF to the Strait of Hormuz to secure the shipping of merchant ships. On the other hand, 36.6 percent supported the deployment of troops.

The SDF is Japan's defense force. Its overseas movements are restricted by the post-war Constitution, which is pacifist in nature. Therefore, any plan to send the SDF overseas is always sensitive, even for technical operations such as mine clearance.

Mine-sweeping operations are considered essential to restore normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The route was briefly closed after the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

Economic anxiety has also been seen in previous surveys. In May, 70.6 percent of respondents said they were worried about disruptions to the supply of petroleum-based naphtha, which is an oil-based liquid material used by the petrochemical industry, including to make plastic products.

Compared to the survey in mid-May, support for Takaichi's cabinet fell by 5.5 percentage points.

What is more troublesome for Takaichi, the foundation of his public support has weakened. Among the respondents who still support the cabinet, only 17.4 percent said they trusted the prime minister. The figure fell from 20.6 percent.

Respondents who hoped for Takaichi's economic policies also fell, from 17.2 percent to 13.6 percent. On the other hand, the level of dissatisfaction with the cabinet rose 1.1 points to 27.9 percent.

The problem of prices is another burden. Japanese households are still struggling with high living costs. Kyodo News, quoted on Monday, June 22, noted that 43.9 percent of respondents supported a reduction in consumption tax on food and beverages from 8 percent to 1 percent, provided it could be implemented sooner.

A total of 22.6 percent of respondents chose to cut taxes to zero percent, as promised by ruling parties, although its implementation would take longer.

Takaichi's coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP and the Japan Innovation Party, previously promised to freeze the 8 percent consumption tax for two years during the February election campaign. The promise was offered as a way to curb inflation.

However, recently the Chairman of LDP Tax Policy proposed a different scheme, namely a 1 percent tariff for two years starting in April 2027. The reason is that a zero percent tariff takes longer because the retailer's cash register system must be adjusted.

The reason is practical. But, for residents who want prices to fall quickly, this kind of technical explanation can sound less biting.

As many as 29 percent of respondents assessed that cutting food taxes was not necessary.

Pressure on Takaichi also came from parliament. The opposition grilled him on allegations that his aides made and circulated online videos to attack his rivals in last year's LDP leadership election.

Takaichi denied being involved. However, the public is not completely satisfied. As many as 49.7 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with his explanation. Only 38.9 percent judged that the matter had been adequately explained.

The Kyodo News survey also showed that the Japanese public is divided about the future of the imperial family. One of the proposals is to allow male descendants of the 11 branches of the old imperial family, who lost their royal status about 80 years ago, to rejoin the imperial family.

As many as 44 percent of respondents support the idea. Those who reject it are slightly more, 45.4 percent.

This problem arises because the number of heirs to the Chrysanthemum Throne, the name for the Japanese imperial throne, continues to shrink. The Imperial Household Law only allows men from the emperor's paternal line to be heirs. Female members must also leave the imperial family if they marry commoners.

However, for the issue of women, the Japanese public is much more firm. As many as 72.3 percent of respondents support female members of the imperial family retaining their status after marrying ordinary citizens. Only 19.5 percent are against.

On the political party map, support for the LDP rose to 38.7 percent, from 36.2 percent previously. Support for the Japan Innovation Party fell to 4.8 percent, from 6.7 percent.

The Centrist Reform Alliance, the largest opposition in the Lower House, received 6.1 percent support, up from 5 percent. The Democratic Party for the People fell slightly to 6.6 percent, from 6.9 percent.

As many as 21 percent of respondents said they did not support any party.

According to Kyodo, the survey was conducted for two days since Saturday. Respondents were taken from 486 households of eligible voters and 3,367 randomly selected mobile phone numbers. Answers were obtained from 423 household members and 621 mobile phone users.