More than half of Japanese citizens believe Prime Minister Sanae Takaiichi should work to improve relations with China. Among supporters of the Cabinet and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), over half also expressed the need for better relations.
According to a poll conducted by Asahi Shimbun from September 26 to 27, 57% of respondents said it is necessary for Takaiichi to focus on improving ties with China, while 35% disagreed.
Among Cabinet supporters, 51% agreed that improvement is necessary, but 44% felt it was not. In contrast, among those who do not support the Cabinet, 69% said improvement is needed, compared to 25% who disagreed.
Relations between China and Japan have been strained since Takaiichi's remarks in November regarding Taiwan during a parliamentary session. Recently, historical issues concerning Japan were raised again during a U.S.-China summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on September 24 during a dinner at the summit that "China and the United States fought shoulder to shoulder against Japanese militarist invaders."
The poll was conducted immediately after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded the U.S.-China summit on September 26-27.
Regarding the U.S.-Japan summit held in New York on September 22, positive evaluations outnumbered negative ones. However, there was a notable age difference, with more than half of those aged 70 and older expressing negative views.
Takaiichi's Cabinet approval rating stands at 51%, a decrease of 2 percentage points from last month. The disapproval rate remains unchanged at 33%. The LDP's approval rating fell from 34% last month to 30%.
Opinions on the recent Cabinet reshuffle were mixed. Notably, 68% of respondents viewed the appointment of two ministers linked to a slush fund scandal as problematic. Asahi noted that the decision to retain many key ministers and appoint those involved in the scandal influenced public perception of the reshuffle.
Public sentiment regarding Takaiichi's inflation measures has worsened. Negative evaluations rose from 51% last month to 59%, while positive evaluations dropped from 34% to 28%. Particularly among those aged 18 to 29, positive evaluations plummeted from 58% to 33%. Asahi reported that negative evaluations are at their highest level since Takaiichi's Cabinet was formed in October of last year.
The government's plan to reduce the food consumption tax rate to 1% for two years starting in April 2024 and provide cash assistance to low- and middle-income workers has received mixed reactions. Seventy-six percent of respondents expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding funding for the tax cuts.
Expectations for the newly formed party are low. Seventy percent of respondents said they do not expect much from the "Democratic Reform Association," created by lawmakers who split from the Constitutional Democratic Party. Only 18% expressed optimism. While 84% believe a party to challenge the LDP is necessary, only 18% of those respondents expect anything from this new party.
This survey was based on valid responses from 1,095 national voters.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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