For the first time since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power in late September, more Japanese disapprove of his administration than approve of it. Although Mr. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party emerged victorious in the Aichi gubernatorial election Sunday, he will continue to experience difficulties because doubts on his leadership ability are fueling the public's growing disapproval.
At the same time, the opposition has failed to benefit from Mr. Abe's falling popularity. The support rate for the Democratic Party of Japan, the No. 1 opposition party, has not changed, while the percentage of people who do not support any party has increased. Political parties must seriously reflect upon why the public's distrust in them is growing.
According to a poll conducted by Kyodo News on Feb. 3 and 4, the approval rating of the Abe administration fell by 4.7 points from the previous poll on Jan. 12 and 13 to 40.3 percent -- a drop of roughly 25 points from ratings garnered just after the administration's inauguration. In contrast, the disapproval rate increased by 5.2 points to 44.1 percent. The support rate for the LDP was 35.1 percent, down from 41.9 percent, while the support rate for the DPJ remained at 15.4 percent. The percentage of nonpartisan voters increased by 9.5 points to 39.8 percent.