Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi slipped after a cabinet member resigned over a scandal, opinion polls show, but her approval ratings remain relatively strong compared to other recent premiers after a year in office. A survey by the All Nippon News network over Oct. 17 and 18 showed an 11.2 percentage point tumble in support for Takaichi’s administration to 47.1%, the largest decline among similar polls by media organizations. A Yomiuri newspaper survey showed a two percentage point decline to 57%.\n\nAgriculture Minister Kazuo Yana stood down last week after media reports alleged he breached electoral funding rules and bragged about cutting funding for municipalities that did not support his campaign in February.
Yana denied breaking the law, and said he was stepping down out of concern for holding up parliament and his ministerial duties. Although she initially defended him, Takaichi accepted his resignation and named Arata Takebe as his replacement.\n\nDespite the decline, Takaichi remains generally more popular than other recent prime ministers at the one-year point. An Asahi newspaper survey showed her approval rating had fallen one percentage point to 50%.
In comparison, Junichiro Koizumi had an approval rating of 42% at the one-year point in his administration. Takaichi became prime minister on Oct. 21, 2025 and will need to be re-elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party when her term ends in approximately a year if she is to stay on beyond that.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing