Key Facts
• August 23-24: Nationwide survey conducted by Mainichi Shimbun.
• Ishiba Cabinet approval rating increased to 33%, up 4 points from July.
• Disapproval rating dropped to 53%, down 6 points from the previous survey.
• First time approval rating reached 30% range in six months.
• Current approval level (33%) is the highest since October 2024 (46%).
• July elections: Ruling coalition lost majority in both houses of parliament.
• Internal party dissent against Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba intensifies.
• Survey conducted via “dSurvey” targeting NTT Docomo dPoint Club members.
• 2,046 valid responses collected from a random sample of 7,400,000 adults.
Summary
The approval rating of the Ishiba Cabinet has risen to 33%, marking a 4-point increase from the previous survey in July and the first recovery to the 30% range in six months. Disapproval ratings have also decreased by 6 points to 53%. This improvement comes amidst challenges for the minority ruling coalition, which lost its majority in both houses of parliament during the July elections. Despite Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s intent to continue his leadership, internal party opposition calling for his resignation has grown. The survey, conducted by Mainichi Shimbun on August 23-24 using the “dSurvey” method, gathered 2,046 valid responses from a random sample of 7.4 million adults nationwide. The current approval rating is the highest since October 2024, when the cabinet was formed with a 46% approval rate.
