Nhk Poll: Kishida Cabinet Approval Rate Slides To 50%
In the latest NHK opinion poll, the approval rate for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's Cabinet came in at 50 percent, down 5 percentage points from the previous survey carried out one week before. The level of disapproval went up by 2 points to 27 percent.
NHK conducted the phone survey over the weekend, ahead of the Upper House election on July 10. More than 2,000 people responded.
Fifty-five percent of the respondents said they definitely plan to vote, or have already cast their ballots in early voting. Twenty-seven percent said they plan to go to a polling station, while 10 percent said they were undecided. Another 5 percent said that they will not go.
The figure for those who definitely plan to vote or have already voted is about the same as the tally of those who indicated they would definitely vote in the previous survey, conducted before early voting started.
It is also around the same level as recorded by a poll conducted before the previous Upper House election three years ago. The voter turnout then was the second lowest in post-war history.
Asked about their level of interest in the election, 20 percent said they are very interested and 49 percent suggested they are interested to some extent. Twenty-one percent said they are not very interested and five percent said they have no interest at all.
The survey asked respondents to indicate which area of policy they think the most important in deciding who or which party to vote for. Forty-three percent chose economic measures, followed by 16 percent pointing to social security, and 15 percent diplomacy and security.
Those indicating the coronavirus response, amending the Constitution, and energy and the environment each totaled 5 percent.
Questioned about the most desirable outcome for the election, 24 percent said they hope the governing coalition will gain more seats and 28 percent said they hope the opposition bloc will do so. Forty-one percent said they cannot say either way.
Opposition parties are demanding that the consumption tax rates be lowered to tackle surging prices. The ruling coalition is opposed to the idea, saying the levy is a stable source of revenue for social security. Asked whether the rates should be lowered, 34 percent of the respondents said yes, while 47 percent said no.
On the country's defense spending, 12 percent said it should be drastically increased, and 40 percent said it should be increased to some extent. Thirty percent said it should be kept at the current level. Five percent wish it to be cut to some degree, while 2 percent said outlays should be reduced significantly.