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.
A suspected act of sabotage caused an oil spill near Oslo, with 50-60 tons leaking from a disused transformer station, Norwegian media reported. Authorities have contained much of the spill, but some oil has reached the Sandvikselva River, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts.
The Council of the EU on Monday approved an extra €3.5 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) in financial support for Ukraine, consisting of non-repayable grants and loans, according to a press release from the European Council.
A large number of countries are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia is reached, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. More than 30 nations are expected to join the "coalition of the willing" to support Ukraine.
Germany pledged €300 million in aid for Syrians, focusing on food, healthcare, shelters, and protection. The funds will support those in Syria and refugees in neighboring countries. Foreign Minister Baerbock stressed the need for political inclusion and accountability.
Iranian opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi will be freed on Monday, ending 14 years of house arrest following his protests against the 2009 election results. His political ally, former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi, is also expected to be released in the coming months.
Chinese search engine giant Baidu has launched two updated AI models—Ernie 4.5 and Ernie X1—in a bid to bolster its competitive edge in the artificial intelligence market.
China has defended its recent military exercises near Taiwan as a punitive response to what it calls the island’s president’s continued promotion of separatism.
A suspected act of sabotage caused an oil spill near Oslo, with 50-60 tons leaking from a disused transformer station, Norwegian media reported. Authorities have contained much of the spill, but some oil has reached the Sandvikselva River, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts.
The Council of the EU on Monday approved an extra €3.5 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) in financial support for Ukraine, consisting of non-repayable grants and loans, according to a press release from the European Council.
A large number of countries are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia is reached, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. More than 30 nations are expected to join the "coalition of the willing" to support Ukraine.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
President Donald Trump has vowed to respond to the European Union's counter-tariffs, escalating tensions over the U.S. steel and aluminum duties that have sparked a trade dispute between the two economic powers.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot forget the years of occupation, and we will not forget them, President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Baku Forum.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
China has defended its recent military exercises near Taiwan as a punitive response to what it calls the island’s president’s continued promotion of separatism.
A suspected act of sabotage caused an oil spill near Oslo, with 50-60 tons leaking from a disused transformer station, Norwegian media reported. Authorities have contained much of the spill, but some oil has reached the Sandvikselva River, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts.
The Council of the EU on Monday approved an extra €3.5 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) in financial support for Ukraine, consisting of non-repayable grants and loans, according to a press release from the European Council.
A large number of countries are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia is reached, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. More than 30 nations are expected to join the "coalition of the willing" to support Ukraine.
China successfully launched eight satellites into space on Tuesday using a commercial Smart Dragon-3 rocket. The launch took place in waters near Haiyang city, Shandong province. All satellites were placed into their planned orbit, marking the fourth mission for the Smart Dragon-3 rocket.
Chinese search engine giant Baidu has launched two updated AI models—Ernie 4.5 and Ernie X1—in a bid to bolster its competitive edge in the artificial intelligence market.
China has defended its recent military exercises near Taiwan as a punitive response to what it calls the island’s president’s continued promotion of separatism.
A suspected act of sabotage caused an oil spill near Oslo, with 50-60 tons leaking from a disused transformer station, Norwegian media reported. Authorities have contained much of the spill, but some oil has reached the Sandvikselva River, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts.
The Council of the EU on Monday approved an extra €3.5 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) in financial support for Ukraine, consisting of non-repayable grants and loans, according to a press release from the European Council.
A large number of countries are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia is reached, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. More than 30 nations are expected to join the "coalition of the willing" to support Ukraine.
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