Sanae Takaichi Approval Drops After Passing Conservative Laws

Public support for Sanae Takaichi has fallen below the cabinet's disapproval rate for the first time since she took office in October last year. A Mainichi Shimbun poll conducted July 19-20 showed approval dropped to 41 percent, while disapproval rose to 44 percent. Other surveys indicated similar trends, with Asahi Shimbun reporting a drop from 60 percent in June to 53 percent and an ANN poll recording 49.2 percent support.

The decline follows the July 17 parliamentary passage of several conservative laws, including a measure criminalizing the desecration of the national flag and revisions to the Imperial House Law. The imperial legislation allows female members to retain royal status after marrying commoners and permits the adoption of male-line descendants. However, the law maintains that only men descended through the paternal line may succeed to the throne, a point of significant public contention that likely contributed to the loss of support among unaffiliated voters.

Beyond legislative friction, the administration faces pressure over the economy. An Asahi poll found 57 percent of respondents believe Takaichi is not doing enough to combat inflation, a situation exacerbated by the war in Iran. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara defended the government, stating that tackling inflation remains the top priority and that the administration will monitor the Middle East situation to ensure it does not adversely affect livelihoods.