The public approval rating for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet fell to 23.1% in April, hitting the lowest level since he took office in October last year, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed.

The figure was down 4.8 percentage points from the previous month.

The disapproval rating for Ishiba's cabinet climbed 7.1 points to 51.2%, exceeding 50% for the first time.

The survey found that 68.4% of respondents support a consumption tax cut as a way to reduce the impact of higher prices and U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, vastly outnumbering the 14.0% against it.

It also found that 23.5% of respondents feel there is a need for Japan to take countermeasures in response to Trump's tariffs, such as retaliatory levies, while 49.5% said they do not feel so.

Asked why they supported the Ishiba Cabinet, 10.6%, the largest group, said there is no one else suitable to be prime minister, followed by 5.9% saying they trust the prime minister.

The most common reason for disapproving of the Cabinet was that it is not promising, given by 28.9%, followed by distrust of the prime minister at 21.3% and a lack of leadership at 19.8%.

Support for Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party fell 0.5 points to 17.4%, while that for the opposition Democratic Party for the People sank 2.6 points to 5.4%. The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan was backed by 3.8%, down 0.4 points.

The support rates for Nippon Ishin no Kai stood at 3.1%, the LDP's coalition partner, Komeito, at 3.0%, Reiwa Shinsengumi at 2.2%, and the Japanese Communist Party at 1.5%. Meanwhile, 58.2% of respondents did not back any party.

The interview survey, conducted over four days through Monday, covered 2,000 people aged 18 and older across the country. Valid responses came from 57.0% of people.