TOKYO: Support has sunk further for Japan’s embattled ruling coalition, a new poll showed on Wednesday (Oct 30), after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s party suffered its worst election result in 15 years.
Backing for the government nosedived to 34 per cent, while its disapproval rating came to 51 per cent, according to the survey by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily.
In Ishiba’s short honeymoon period after taking office on Oct 1, the same survey found 51 per cent supported his cabinet against 32 per cent who didn’t.
A separate poll by Kyodo News released on Tuesday had 53 per cent saying they did not want the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito to stay in power.
Sunday’s snap election left the coalition short of a majority for the first time since 2009 – when it was booted out of power for three years – 18 seats short of the 233 needed.
Ishiba has already indicated he will seek to govern a minority administration and seek approval from other parties to get legislation through parliament.
That expectation was reinforced late on Tuesday when the head of potential kingmaker the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), which has 28 seats, ruled out joining the LDP in a coalition government.
“We will give all of our strength to achieve our policies and we will not join the coalition,” DPP chief Yuichiro Tamaki said at a press conference.
