Japan Kishida Cabinet Where to... Approval Rating 42% Lowest Since Inauguration

Nikkei and TV Tokyo Phone Poll of 929 People
64% Respondents Say "Order to Dissolve Former Tongilgyo Should Be Requested"

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Photo by AP News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The approval rating of the Kishida Fumio Cabinet in Japan continues to decline one year after its launch.

According to a telephone opinion poll conducted by Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) and TV Tokyo from the 28th to the 30th targeting 929 voters aged 18 and over (valid respondents), the current approval rating of the Kishida Cabinet is 42%, down 1 percentage point from last month. The approval rating of the Kishida Cabinet, which was launched in October last year, peaked at 66% in May and has been declining for five consecutive months since then.

In particular, this month's survey was conducted after the announcement on the 28th of a large-scale high-inflation economic measure totaling 71.6 trillion yen (approximately 692 trillion won), but it did not affect the approval rating. Regarding this, Nikkei commented, "Despite replacing Economic Revitalization Minister Yamagawa Daishiro, who was being questioned by the opposition over the Unification Church issue, and announcing the high-inflation economic measures, the approval rating did not rise."

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) continues to be plagued by ongoing controversies over ties with the World Peace and Unification Family Federation (formerly the Unification Church and Family Federation). Former Economic Revitalization Minister Yamagawa was appointed at the launch of the Kishida administration in October last year and was responsible for key policies such as the 'new capitalism' and COVID-19 measures, retaining his position even during the cabinet reshuffle in August. However, after it was revealed that he had attended several meetings hosted by the former Unification Church and photos of him with Han Hak-ja, the Family Federation president, were made public, a major scandal erupted. Although he avoided answering by saying "I don't remember," as opposition parties demanded his dismissal and the Kishida Cabinet's approval rating fell, voices within the LDP also argued that "resigning quickly would cause less damage," leading to his eventual resignation.

Meanwhile, the Nikkei poll also included a survey on support or opposition to the Japanese government's request for a dissolution order against the Family Federation. Sixty-four percent of respondents said the Japanese government should request a dissolution order against the Family Federation, while only 14% said it should not. Until now, the Japanese government has shown a lukewarm attitude toward investigating the Family Federation and requesting a dissolution order, citing the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. However, more than 2,200 suspected damage cases were reported to the Family Federation telephone counseling center established by the Japanese government on the 5th of last month in less than a month, indicating more victims than expected, and controversies over ties between the Family Federation and political circles remain unresolved.

The issue of the Family Federation in Japan surfaced after the assassin of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo mentioned the Family Federation as a motive for the crime. The LDP conducted its own investigation last month and confirmed that nearly half of its 379 members, 180 lawmakers, have connections with the Family Federation.

The Japanese government can use its questioning rights to demand reports on the business and operations of religious organizations, and if investigations reveal that a religious organization has committed acts that significantly harm public welfare, the court can order dissolution upon request from the competent authority or prosecution. However, until now, the government has never exercised questioning rights or issued dissolution orders against religious organizations.