TOKYO - The approval rating for the cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi rose 3.1 percentage points from March to 70.2%, recovering to the 70% range for the first time in two months, according to an FNN public opinion survey.
The poll was conducted by telephone on April 18 and April 19, 2026, using random digit dialing for both landlines and mobile phones. Responses were collected from 1,008 men and women aged 18 or older nationwide, with sampling and weighting based on census data.
Those who said they supported the Takaichi cabinet stood at 70.2%, up from 67.1% in March. Those who said they did not support the cabinet fell 3.4 points to 25.1% from 28.5%.
On a possible reduction in the consumption tax on groceries, 43.3% said the rate should be cut to 0% for a limited period of two years. Another 25.0% said a tax cut would be unnecessary if households received equivalent cash payments, while 26.1% said neither a tax cut nor cash handouts were needed.
The government is also considering revisions to Japan's retrial system for criminal cases.
Asked about prosecutors filing appeals against decisions to grant retrials, 64.6% said such appeals should face some form of restriction. That was followed by 19.9% who said the system should remain unchanged, while only 9.1% supported a complete ban.
Regarding the United States' handling of tensions involving Iran and other Middle East issues, 76.1% said they did not support Washington's response, compared with 18.2% who said they did.
More than half of respondents, 52.2%, also said Japan's response to surging crude oil prices triggered by the Iran situation was inadequate. By contrast, 39.6% said the response was sufficient.
The survey also asked about four constitutional revision items promoted by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, an area where Takaichi has expressed strong interest.
On explicitly recognizing the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Constitution, 59.3% were in favor, nearly double the 31.3% opposed.
Support for the other three items was as follows: extending lawmakers' terms during major natural disasters, 66.2% in favor and 25.9% opposed; ending merged upper house electoral districts, 54.1% in favor and 29.6% opposed; and strengthening education, 83.3% in favor and 11.3% opposed.
The poll also asked about measures to secure the number of imperial family members.
Regarding the status of female imperial family members after marriage, 35.8% said they should retain imperial status while their husbands and children should not become members of the imperial family. Another 28.9% said both husbands and children should also be granted imperial status, while 29.7% said women should leave the imperial family under the current system.
On bringing male-line male descendants of the 11 former collateral branches of the imperial house back into the imperial family, 58.0% expressed support, while 31.9% were opposed.
Source: FNN
