A Kyodo News poll has found that some 58 percent of Japanese disapprove of the Cabinet of Ryutaro Hashimoto, an 11 percentage point increase from the previous poll.

The stagnant economy and a scandal involving Finance Ministry officials were cited as factors in driving the rate up. In a December poll, the disapproval rate was 47 percent and the approval rate was 38 percent, compared to the current 34 percent.

The trend in the disapproval rate is similar to that in September, when Hashimoto's appointment of Koko Sato, convicted in the Lockheed payoff scandal, to head the Management and Cooperation Agency angered citizens. At that time, the disapproval rate was 59 percent and the approval rate 28 percent.

Kyodo News polled 1,000 people across the country via telephone over the weekend. Of those who do not support Hashimoto's Cabinet, 42 percent said they cannot look forward to Hashimoto's policies in such areas as the economy as the reason for not supporting Hashimoto. Twenty-eight percent cited corruption among bureaucrats and politicians, and 18 percent said they have nothing to expect from politics.

Asked what Hashimoto should do regarding matters such as the weakened financial system, the stagnant economy and criticism by opposition forces, 42 percent said Hashimoto should dissolve the Lower House and call a snap election, 25 percent said he should radically reshuffle the Cabinet and 9 percent said he should step down as prime minister.

Asked how to prevent corruption among bureaucrats, 86 percent called for prohibiting entertainment offers by the private sector and for punishment -- including dismissal -- of bureaucrats who accept entertainment.

Eighty-one percent said gifts from the private sector to bureaucrats should be banned and a law should be passed that would provide for punitive measures for violators. In addition, 69 percent said bureaucrats' incomes -- other than their regular incomes -- should be made public.