The latest poll results released by Japan‘s Kyodo Press on 18th showed that the support rate for the Takashi Sanae cabinet fell to 49.1%, hitting a new low in poll results since the establishment of the Takashi cabinet, and for the first time falling below 50%.
This survey was conducted by telephone enquiry from 17 to 18. Compared with last month‘s survey, the support rate for the Gao City Cabinet decreased by 4.3 percentage points.
The recent controversy over Liang Hesheng, the former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Gao’s cabinet, has been simmering over inappropriate remarks and alleged violations of the Public Election Act. This survey showed that 57.7 percent of respondents thought that Gao’s removal of Liang Hesheng was “too late.” In addition, 54.7 percent of respondents thought that Liang Hesheng’s resignation would have a negative impact on Gao’s cabinet administration.
In terms of economic policy, 65.1% of respondents expressed concern about the negative impact on Japan‘s finances from the government’s blind downgrade of consumption taxes.
The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Kwan Fanghong, has also apologized for illegal political fundraising activities, in addition to the removal of Liang Hesheng due to inappropriate remarks. The successive cabinet scandals have impacted the support rate of the Gao government cabinet. Poll results released by various institutions recently showed that the support rate of the Gao government cabinet has decreased significantly.