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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The United Nations has warned that tropical cyclones occurring close to the Equator are rare, and when they do strike, their impacts are magnified due to limited local experience in coping with severe storms.
Germany has been officially confirmed as the host of the 2029 Women’s European Championship, UEFA announced on Wednesday. The decision was made by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, who described the selection from three strong bids as a difficult but fair process.
Ukraine has rejected Russian claims that its forces have captured the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk, stating that Ukrainian troops continue to hold the northern districts along a railway line.
For nearly three decades following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the international system was defined by a singular, overwhelming reality: American unipolarity.
A four-part docuseries executive produced by Curtis '50 cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton on Netflix is at the centre of controversy online.
Russia has claimed a decisive breakthrough in the nearly four-year war, with the Kremlin announcing the total capture of the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk just hours before United States mediators were due to arrive in Moscow.
Uzbekistan has reopened its border with Afghanistan for the first time since 2021, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Tuesday.
Belgian police have raided the EU’s diplomatic service and the College of Europe as part of a corruption probe into an EU-funded training academy for diplomats, detaining three suspects and searching multiple premises, according to Politico.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday pledged his “absolute loyalty” to the Venezuelan people as tensions continue to rise with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Vilnius Airport in Lithuania suspended operations on Wednesday after suspected balloons were spotted in its airspace, marking the latest in a series of similar incidents near the Belarus border.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will travel to Washington on Friday to participate in the 2026 World Cup draw, joining U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the ceremonial event.
Tensions escalated at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal’s capital as students clashed with security forces demanding stipends and financial aid amid the country’s deepening economic crisis.
The United Nations has warned that tropical cyclones occurring close to the Equator are rare, and when they do strike, their impacts are magnified due to limited local experience in coping with severe storms.
Germany has been officially confirmed as the host of the 2029 Women’s European Championship, UEFA announced on Wednesday. The decision was made by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, who described the selection from three strong bids as a difficult but fair process.
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