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.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for October 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Flights out of Bangladesh's main airport were delayed or diverted on Saturday after a major fire broke out in the cargo terminal, officials said.
Repair work has started on damaged off-site power lines to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following a four-week outage, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Saturday.
Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold peace talks in Doha on Saturday, both sides said, after the South Asia neighbours extended a ceasefire following a week of fierce border clashes.
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Flights out of Bangladesh's main airport were delayed or diverted on Saturday after a major fire broke out in the cargo terminal, officials said.
Repair work has started on damaged off-site power lines to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following a four-week outage, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Saturday.
Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold peace talks in Doha on Saturday, both sides said, after the South Asia neighbours extended a ceasefire following a week of fierce border clashes.
Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behaviour and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for October 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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