Overview

• Kyodo’s nationwide phone survey on Aug. 23–24 found 57.5% say Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba does not need to resign, with cabinet approval at 35.4% and disapproval at 49.8%.
• Mainichi’s poll conducted Aug. 23–24 showed 43% say resignation is unnecessary versus 39% who favor it, and put cabinet approval at 33% using its smartphone-based d-survey method.
• By party support in the Mainichi poll, 65% of Liberal Democratic Party backers and about 60% of Komeito supporters said Ishiba need not step down, while some smaller parties’ supporters leaned toward resignation.
• Kyodo’s polling indicated 61.5% want the government to accept the opposition’s consumption-tax cut proposal highlighted in the Upper House campaign.
• In outreach moves reported Aug. 25, Ishiba met former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to express thanks for TICAD9 duties and briefed him on the Japan–South Korea summit, and he conveyed appreciation to Yoshihide Suga’s office.