Overview

• Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet approval rating has dropped to its lowest level since he took office in October 2024, with multiple polls showing support between 23% and 31%.
• The decline follows Ishiba's distribution of ¥100,000 ($671) gift vouchers to 15 first-term Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers, which many voters perceive as problematic.
• Polls reveal that 75% of respondents view the gift voucher distribution as inappropriate, though 60% believe Ishiba does not need to resign over the issue.
• Ishiba has apologized publicly, stating the vouchers were intended as a personal gesture of appreciation and not a political donation, and all 15 lawmakers have since returned the vouchers.
• The scandal adds to challenges for Ishiba's leadership, including internal party pressure and an upcoming upper house election in July, as the ruling coalition struggles with diminished parliamentary control.