Japan PM Takaichi’s support rate falls below 50%, lowest since taking office: Kyodo

TOKYO - The approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration fell below 50% to its lowest level since she took office in October 2025, Kyodo news agency reported on Oct 18.In a poll conducted between Oct 17 and Oct 18, the approval rating for Takaichi’s administration was 49.1%, the report said.The decline might have been affected by Takaichi’s slow response surrounding the resignation of Kazuo Yana as the nation’s farm minister, the report said.Yana stepped down from the post on Oct 14 after coming under fire for remarks about cutting road funding for municipalities that did not support him.Some 57.7% of respondents said Takaichi’s decision to replace him came “too late,” Kyodo said, while 81.5% said it was natural for Yana to resign.Takaichi appointed Yana in a Cabinet reshuffle in September, but had openly chided him in Parliament for the remarks over the road funding, which local media first reported earlier in October. REUTERS