TOKYO -- The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has dropped to 28%, according to a nationwide weekend poll by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Social Survey Research Center.

The rating was down 2 percentage points from the 30% recorded in the previous survey conducted on Dec. 14 and 15. It marked the first time for the support rate to fall below 30% since the Ishiba Cabinet was formed in October last year. The disapproval rating remained unchanged at 53%.

After reaching 46% in October 2024, the Cabinet's support rate plummeted to 31% in November following the House of Representatives election and has continued to stagnate. In the latest poll, the most common reason for approval was "there are no better people or parties" at 41% (up from 36% in the previous poll), followed by "I have expectations for the prime minister's leadership" at 24% (down from 31%). The most common reason for disapproval was "I have no expectations for the prime minister's leadership" at 39% (unchanged), followed by "I have no expectations for the policies" at 37% (up from 34%).

Regarding the government and ruling parties' plan to raise the tax-free annual income threshold from 1.03 million yen (about $6,600) to 1.23 million yen (approx. $7,900), 50% of respondents in the poll conducted on Jan. 18 and 19 said it should be raised further.

A total of 18% of respondents said the planned increase to 1.23 million yen was "appropriate," while 10% said "there is no need for a raise," and 21% said they were not sure. Among those who said it should be raised further, 62% were men and 39% were women. By age group, 58% of those aged between 18 and 29, 57% of those in their 30s, 56% of those in their 40s, and 50% of those in their 50s demanded further increase, indicating strong support among working-age generations. In contrast, 42% of those in their 60s and 43% of those aged 70 and above wanted additional increase.

Among ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supporters, 36% said the proposed 1.23-million-yen income threshold should be raised, surpassing the 32% who said it was "appropriate." Among supporters of the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito, about 40% said the planned level was appropriate, while support for raising it reached the mid-30% range. Among Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) supporters, 86% called for a further increase.

Regarding the LDP's donation of 800 million yen (roughly $5.12 million) to a social welfare corporation to show "contrition" for a slush fund scandal involving party factions, 74% of respondents said they did not think it served as a settlement. Another 6% thought it did, while 20% were undecided. Even among LDP supporters, only 18% thought it served as a settlement, while 51% did not.

In the poll, support for the LDP reached 20% (unchanged from the December survey), the DPFP 15% (up from 13%), the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 11% (unchanged), Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) 5% (unchanged), Reiwa Shinsengumi 4% (unchanged), the Japanese Communist Party 2% (unchanged), Komeito 2% (unchanged), and the Conservative Party of Japan 2% (unchanged). The percentage of independents who answered "I don't support any particular party" remained the same at 38%.

The latest poll was carried out via a "d-Survey" method targeting smartphone users. A random sample of users were selected from among about 70 million people aged 18 years or older in NTT Docomo Inc.'s "d Point Club." Valid responses were received from 2,042 people.

(Japanese original by Yusuke Kaite, Political News Department)