Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has dropped to a record low after he handed out gift vouchers to ruling party lawmakers, an Asahi newspaper poll showed on Monday. Approval fell 14 percentage points to 26%, the lowest since he took office last October.
The survey, conducted March 15-16, follows reports that Ishiba gave 100,000 yen ($673) vouchers to 15 first-term lawmakers from his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) earlier this month. Critics argue the handout may violate political funding laws.
Speaking in parliament, Ishiba defended the gesture, calling it "pocket money" and a "show of appreciation" for their work in the election. While insisting the action did not break the law, he apologised for causing "distrust and anger among many people."
All 15 lawmakers have since returned the vouchers, according to Japanese media.
Separate polls by Yomiuri and Mainichi newspapers over the weekend also confirmed a record-low approval for Ishiba’s government. The decline comes months before an upper house election in July, adding pressure to his leadership.
The controversy unfolds as Japan’s economy faces uncertainty from escalating trade tensions with the United States, led by President Donald Trump.
At least four people have been killed in a shooting incident in the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israel's ambulance service said, while the police said the...
Kazakhstan has launched Space Days 2025, a landmark international forum in Almaty that gathers astronauts, scientists, policymakers, and investors fro...
Spain will increase pressure on Israel by banning Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from calling at Spanish ports or entering Spanish a...
Hong Kong shut schools and many businesses closed on Monday (8 September) as severe Tropical Storm Tapah came within 170 km (106 miles) of the area wi...
Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of Australia’s “mushroom murders”, has been sentenced to life in prison for killing three of her estrang...
Kazakhstan has launched Space Days 2025, a landmark international forum in Almaty that gathers astronauts, scientists, policymakers, and investors from across the globe to debate the future of space technology, education, and cooperation.
At least four people have been killed in a shooting incident in the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israel's ambulance service said, while the police said the perpetrators had been killed.
Spain will increase pressure on Israel by banning Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from calling at Spanish ports or entering Spanish airspace, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday.
Hong Kong shut schools and many businesses closed on Monday (8 September) as severe Tropical Storm Tapah came within 170 km (106 miles) of the area with gale-force winds.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least four people have been killed in a shooting incident in the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israel's ambulance service said, while the police said the perpetrators had been killed.
Kazakhstan has launched Space Days 2025, a landmark international forum in Almaty that gathers astronauts, scientists, policymakers, and investors from across the globe to debate the future of space technology, education, and cooperation.
Spain will increase pressure on Israel by banning Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from calling at Spanish ports or entering Spanish airspace, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday.
Hong Kong shut schools and many businesses closed on Monday (8 September) as severe Tropical Storm Tapah came within 170 km (106 miles) of the area with gale-force winds.
Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of Australia’s “mushroom murders”, has been sentenced to life in prison for killing three of her estranged husband’s relatives with a meal of beef wellington laced with deadly death cap mushrooms two years ago.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment