Cabinet approval reaches 63 percent
Support for the Takaichi Cabinet rose to 63.0 percent in the latest public opinion survey conducted by Japan News Network, or JNN. The figure represents a 0.5 percentage-point increase from the previous month, indicating that the government has maintained—and slightly strengthened—its overall public backing.
Meanwhile, 33.9 percent of respondents said they did not support the Cabinet. This figure declined by 1.0 percentage point compared with the previous survey. The difference between approval and disapproval therefore remains substantial, although public opinion can shift as voters respond to policy decisions, economic conditions and developments both in Japan and abroad.
Party support figures
The Liberal Democratic Party, the main governing party, recorded support of 34.7 percent, up 2.5 percentage points from the previous poll. The result places the LDP well ahead of other individual parties in the survey.
Support for Nippon Ishin no Kai, commonly known as the Japan Innovation Party, stood at 3.2 percent, rising by 1.0 point. The Democratic Party for the People recorded 2.9 percent, up 0.3 point. Komeito, traditionally a major coalition partner of the LDP, registered 2.8 percent, an increase of 1.6 points.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan received 2.5 percent, down 0.2 point, while the Sanseito party recorded 3.4 percent, falling by 1.0 point. The Japanese Communist Party stood at 2.5 percent, up 0.5 point. Other parties included Mirai, at 0.6 percent; the Conservative Party, at 0.8 percent; the Social Democratic Party, at 0.3 percent; and several smaller groupings.
The proportion of respondents who said they supported no political party was 41.4 percent, down 1.7 points. Although this remains the largest single category when considered independently, its decline may suggest that more respondents are currently identifying with a particular party or political bloc.
What the figures mean for Japan
For foreign observers, Japanese Cabinet approval ratings are an important indicator of the political environment surrounding decisions on the economy, public administration, national security and international relations. A rating above 60 percent generally signals a strong level of public support at the time of the survey, although it does not guarantee that approval will remain stable.
The figures also highlight the fragmented nature of Japan’s opposition landscape. While the LDP’s support increased, no other party approached the governing party’s level in this poll. At the same time, the high percentage of respondents without a party affiliation shows that a large portion of the Japanese electorate remains independent or undecided. These voters could become especially important in future elections and during major policy debates.
How the JNN survey was conducted
JNN conducted the survey on October 3 and 4 among men and women aged 18 or older across Japan. Researchers contacted 2,757 people using a random-digit-dialing, or RDD, method that includes both landline and mobile telephone numbers. A total of 1,022 people, or 37.1 percent of those contacted, provided valid responses. The responses consisted of 434 landline participants and 588 mobile-phone participants.
JNN says trained interviewers asked questions directly rather than relying on automated recorded messages. For landline calls, one individual in the household was selected using a random process designed to reduce age-related sampling bias. The survey methodology is intended to produce results that more closely reflect the wider electorate than an online poll, where people with a particular interest in a topic may be more likely to participate.
As with all opinion surveys, the results represent public sentiment during the survey period and should be interpreted alongside future polling, policy developments and election results.
