Takaichi's Approval Rating Hits 75% in Japan, Up 1 Percentage Point from Previous Month

Nikkei and TV Tokyo Joint Survey
46% Say "Three Non-Nuclear Principles Should Be Maintained"

Amid escalating tensions between China and Japan following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks suggesting possible intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency, the Japanese government's approval rating remains high, reaching 75%. Additionally, regarding the 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles,' which the Japanese government is currently reviewing, about half of Japanese respondents said these principles should be upheld.

On December 1, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported the results of a public opinion survey conducted jointly with TV Tokyo from November 28 to 30, targeting 1,006 people. The survey showed that the approval rating for the Takaichi Cabinet rose by 1 percentage point from the previous month to 75%. Only 18% responded that they did not support the cabinet.

Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan. Yonhap News Agency

55% Say "Takaichi's Taiwan Remarks Appropriate"

Regarding Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks about possible intervention in the event of a Taiwan emergency-which have been a source of recent friction between China and Japan-55% of respondents said the comments were appropriate, while 30% said they were not. The approval rating for the Liberal Democratic Party rose by 5 percentage points from the previous month to 41%. As the Takaichi Cabinet continues to enjoy high approval ratings, 53% of respondents said there is "no need to rush" regarding the early dissolution of the House of Representatives, which has been raised by some within the Liberal Democratic Party.

However, the response to the Takaichi Cabinet's economic measures was not favorable in this survey. Only 35% said the measures would be effective in curbing high inflation, while 40% responded that they would not be effective.

Regarding the controversial review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles being promoted by the Takaichi government, 46% of respondents said the current principles should be maintained. Meanwhile, 39% said the ban on nuclear weapon imports should be reconsidered. The Three Non-Nuclear Principles-"not possessing, not producing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons"-were first declared by then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1967.

When asked about "policy issues the prime minister should prioritize" (multiple responses allowed), more than half of respondents-55%-cited "measures to address rising prices." This was followed by economic growth (32%), diplomacy and security (31%), and pensions as well as employment and wages (26% each).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.