Support for Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga’s cabinet plunges over coronavirus resurgence

A survey found the approval rate for Japan’s cabinet fell from 63 per cent to 50.3 per cent, as Covid-19 infections soar in the country

It also found 77.4 per cent are discontent with former PM Shinzo Abe’s account about the use of political funds to pay for dinner parties for voters

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Yoshihide Suga, Japan's prime minister, attends a plenary session at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo. Support for Suga’s government slid for the second straight month. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 8:00am, 7 Dec 2020Updated: 8:00am, 7 Dec 2020

The approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s cabinet has fallen sharply to 50.3 per cent from last month’s 63.0 per cent, a survey showed on Sunday, as the government struggles to ensure an economic recovery while responding to a resurgence of coronavirus infections.

As the deepening health crisis has also affected the plan to host the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer, more than 60 per cent called for revising the plan, including 32.2 per cent demanding that the events be put off again and 29.0 per cent saying they should be cancelled.

It was the first time since June 2017 that the support rate for a cabinet had dropped more than 10 points. The previous administration was headed by Suga’s predecessor Shinzo Abe.

The disapproval rate rose to 32.8 per cent from 19.2 per cent, according to the two-day Kyodo News telephone survey conducted over the weekend.

The government is trying to revive the economy by supporting the pandemic-hit tourism industry with its “Go To Travel” subsidy campaign, but 48.1 per cent said it should suspend the programme nationwide due to fears that encouraging people to travel within Japan is worsening the spread of infections.

This compares with 11.6 per cent who believe the government is managing the programme appropriately. The government has limited the use of the campaign for residents in some areas to prevent further infections.