Abe cabinet approval rate rises to 48 percent: Jiji Poll

November 15, 2019

Tokyo--The approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet in November rose 4.3 percentage points from the previous month to 48.5 pct, a Jiji Press opinion survey showed Friday.

The disapproval rate fell 3.6 points to 29.4 pct, according to the survey conducted for four days through Monday.

The results came despite recent negative developments related to the Abe administration, including the resignations of two scandal-hit ministers in October and the education ministry's announcement early this month of a decision to postpone the use of private-sector English tests for a new unified university entrance examination system starting in fiscal 2020.

The latest survey was carried out before the government announced Wednesday a decision to cancel next year's prime minister-hosted cherry blossom-viewing party. The state-funded annual event is at the center of cronyism allegations.

Of the Abe cabinet supporters, 23.0 pct said there is no other suitable politician for the post of prime minister, and 13.1 pct cited Abe's leadership skills. Among those disapproving the cabinet, 14.3 pct said they have no expectations for it, and 13.8 pct said Abe is unreliable.

The support rate for Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party came to 30.1 pct, up 2.6 points, while that for the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan stood at 3.1 pct, down 2.7 points.

Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, secured 3.7 pct.

The support rate came to 2.0 pct for the Japanese Communist Party, 1.3 pct for Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), 0.6 pct each for the Social Democratic Party and Reiwa Shinsengumi, and 0.2 pct each for the Democratic Party for the People and NHK kara Kokumin wo Mamoru To (the party to protect the people from NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp.)

The interview-based survey covered 1,986 people aged 18 or over across Japan, except some of the areas affected by powerful Typhoon Hagibis, which hit the nation in mid-October. Valid answers were given by 62.5 pct. Jiji Press