August Support for Takaichi: Still Falling, But Still Firm
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's approval ratings in Japan have hit record lows since her 2025 inauguration, though the rate of decline has begun to stabilize. Public sentiment is currently dominated by debate over a proposed consumption tax cut on food and beverages, with many citizens expressing concern over the lack of a clear funding source.
Why it matters
The administration's fiscal policy decisions are directly impacting its political stability, highlighting the tension between popular tax relief and long-term economic sustainability.
Approval ratings for the administration of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae plunged considerably in July 2026, showing double-digit drops month-over-month in some cases. In August, though, even the NHK public opinion survey, with the largest downward shift, marked a decline of just 5 percentage points. Takaichi's approval rating was also down by 3.5 points in the Kyōdō News survey, by 1 point in the Yomiuri Shimbun poll, and by 0.6 points according to Jiji Press. All four of these polls had her numbers at all-time lows since the inauguration of her administration in October 2025, but the downward trend showed signs of easing.
Both the Mainichi Shimbun and the Asahi Shimbun recorded figures identical to those in July, continuing to place Takaichi at her lowest support level to date. Respondents to the Mainichi poll in particular turned in disapproval ratings exceeding approval for the second consecutive month.
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