Nikkei Poll: Sanae Takaichi Cabinet Approval Rating at 75%, Above 70% for Third Straight Month | WPN World People News

A latest opinion poll conducted by Nikkei Inc. and TV Tokyo from December 19 to 21 shows that approval for the Sanae Takaichi Cabinet remains at 75%, unchanged from the previous survey in November. The disapproval rate also held steady at 18%. Since the cabinet was formed in October, public support has stayed above 70% for three consecutive months.

Among respondents who support the cabinet, the most frequently cited reason was that “her character is trustworthy” (41%), followed by “she has leadership ability” (38%). Among those who oppose the cabinet, the top reasons were “her character is not trustworthy” (34%) and “she lacks an international outlook” (30%).

During the same period, the Bank of Japan, at its monetary policy meeting, announced a rate hike to 0.75%, the highest level in 30 years and the first interest-rate increase since January this year. According to the poll, 55% of respondents viewed the rate hike positively, exceeding the 26% who evaluated it negatively.

As for policy priorities, the largest share of respondents said the Takaichi Cabinet should focus on measures to address rising prices (50%). This was followed by foreign policy and security (31%), pensions (29%), and economic growth (27%).

In terms of party support, the Liberal Democratic Party remained in first place at 37%, though this marked a decline of four percentage points from the previous month. Support for coalition partner Nippon Ishin no Kai rose to 7%. Among opposition parties, the Democratic Party for the People climbed to 9%, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan held steady at 7%, while Sanseito slipped to 5%. The share of undecided voters stood at 23%, slightly up from 22% the previous month.

The survey was conducted by Nikkei Research using random-digit dialing of mobile and landline phones, targeting people aged 18 and older. A total of 916 valid responses were collected, with a response rate of 40.1%.