TOKYO — Approval ratings for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's conservative government have fallen below 50 percent for the first time since she took office in October 2025, according to a Jiji Press survey published on Thursday, July 16, 2026.

The poll recorded a 49 percent approval rating for Takaichi's cabinet, with the most significant decline among voters in their 60s, whose support dropped from 63.7 percent last month to 39.9 percent. While some supporters continue to praise her leadership and trustworthiness, key reasons cited for disapproval include sentiments that "cannot hope for much" and "poor policies."

Takaichi had strengthened her position earlier this year with a decisive victory in the February snap lower house elections, partly due to her appeal among young voters impressed by her diplomatic skills and the change she represented.

However, her November 2025 statement suggesting that Tokyo might militarily intervene if self-ruled Taiwan were attacked has strained Japan's relations with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory. Additionally, earlier in July 2026, nearly 150 Japanese academics petitioned lawmakers opposing her push for legislation that would criminalize the desecration of Japan's national flag.

A recent slowdown in inflation has also been a factor supporting her administration, following sharp price rises that contributed to the rapid fall of her two predecessors.

Sources

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