logo
Support for Ishiba slides further as key election approaches

Support for Ishiba slides further as key election approaches

Japan Todaya day ago
Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba slid further ahead of major national elections, a poll by public broadcaster NHK showed on Monday, as voters gave the thumbs-up instead to tax cuts proposed by opposition parties.
Support for Ishiba's cabinet stood at 31%, down from 34% a week ago and 39% in early June.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and junior partner Komeito, which form the ruling coalition, lost their combined majority in the lower house last year.
Another poor performance in the upper house elections, slated for July 20, would deliver a heavy blow to Ishiba's grip on power.
To help the public cope with rising prices, Ishiba is proposing one-off cash handouts, while most opposition parties have pledged in their campaign platforms to cut or abolish the sales tax.
The NHK survey showed 52% of those polled prefer sales tax cuts or abolition of cash handouts, while 17% said they prefer cash handouts.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bessent to visit Japan for World Expo in Osaka, possibly next week
Bessent to visit Japan for World Expo in Osaka, possibly next week

Nikkei Asia

time25 minutes ago

  • Nikkei Asia

Bessent to visit Japan for World Expo in Osaka, possibly next week

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to visit Japan, possibly next week, as a member of the U.S. delegation to the World Exposition in Osaka, an official said Tuesday. Without providing further details, the Treasury Department official disclosed Bessent's planned visit on condition of anonymity. The United States will mark its national day, featuring a range of entertaining programs, on July 19 at the expo. Bessent is a key figure in the ongoing U.S. tariff negotiations with Japan. His plan became known a day after President Donald Trump said the United States will impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from Japan starting Aug. 1. As the bilateral talks appear to be stalled, it remains unclear whether Bessent will meet with Japan's chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, or other officials while in the country. The visit will be Bessent's first to Japan since Trump returned to the White House in January for his nonconsecutive second presidency. Japan and the United States have had in-person ministerial negotiations over Trump's latest tariff regime seven times. For every round of meetings, Akazawa has traveled to Washington. Given the planned trip, Bessent will likely skip a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors in South Africa next week. In a letter addressed to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and posted in full on social media on Monday, Trump said, "Please understand that the 25% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country." The tariff rate is 1 percentage point higher than what Trump initially unveiled on April 2, prompting Ishiba to call the president's move "truly regrettable." The 25 percent rate was announced before the expiration, originally set for Wednesday, of his 90-day pause on country-specific tariffs, targeting dozens of trading partners. Along with Japan, Trump notified 13 other countries, including Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea, of new tariff rates via letters. At the same time, he extended the pause to Aug. 1 and urged the 14 countries to compromise before the new tariffs take effect. Following Japan's receipt of the letter, Akazawa, the country's minister for economic revitalization, spoke to Bessent by phone for about 30 minutes. The Japanese government said Akazawa and Bessent agreed to continue "vigorous consultations" between the two countries. Akazawa also spoke separately with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, during which they also agreed to advance the ongoing talks, according to the government.

Trump's tariff letter shatters Japan's hopes for a special relationship
Trump's tariff letter shatters Japan's hopes for a special relationship

Nikkei Asia

timean hour ago

  • Nikkei Asia

Trump's tariff letter shatters Japan's hopes for a special relationship

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Japanese trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa and the Japanese delegation in the Oval Office of the White House on April 16. KEN MORIYASU WASHINGTON -- When the White House began negotiations after President Donald Trump announced country-by-country "reciprocal" tariffs, Japan was first in line. Japanese trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa met with Trump in the Oval Office in mid-April, and was photographed donning a red "Make America Great Again" hat, signed by the president, signaling optimism. On Monday morning, it was a completely different picture. Japan was the first to receive a letter from Trump declaring the relationship "far from Reciprocal" and announcing a unilateral 25% tariff on all Japanese goods exports to the U.S.

Panasonic's projector business sale to Orix collapses
Panasonic's projector business sale to Orix collapses

Nikkei Asia

time3 hours ago

  • Nikkei Asia

Panasonic's projector business sale to Orix collapses

Panasonic had planned for Orix to take a majority stake in a new projector company. (Source photos by Nikkei) NARUSHI NAKAI OSAKA -- Panasonic Holdings' sale of its commercial projector business to Japanese financial services group Orix has fallen apart after the two sides could not agree on terms, it was learned Tuesday. Panasonic envisioned a transaction worth 118.5 billion yen ($807 million). In April, group company Panasonic Connect spun the projector business off into a new subsidiary named Panasonic Projector & Display.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store