Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Monday the sharp dip in the public support rate for his administration, as shown in opinion polls over the weekend, means he must work harder.
Support for the Hatoyama team, which took power in September with an approval rate above 70 percent, has fallen to around 50 percent.
A Mainichi Shimbun poll found an approval rate of 55 percent for the administration, while a Nihon TV survey showed only 51.8 percent support. A joint survey by the Sankei Shimbun and television station FNN found a 51 percent approval rate.