The government and ruling parties are growing increasingly alarmed because the disapproval rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet has hit a record high since the inauguration of his second Cabinet, as seen in the latest Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
Criticism of the government is mounting over its handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, as the spread of infections has not be staved off. The prime minister, who has enjoyed high approval ratings, now faces a crucial test.
At a press conference in Hiroshima on Thursday, Abe said, "Steering the country is extremely challenging [in this situation], but we will continue to take necessary measures promptly."
For Abe, a serious problem is that nearly 80% of respondents said the prime minister is not exercising leadership, indicating that he is regarded as "invisible" by many people.
Abe gave a press conference in Nagasaki on Sunday following one in Hiroshima on Thursday. However, members of the ruling parties have urged him to speak more to the public.
Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi attributed Abe's declining approval rating to "signs of concerns over the prime minister's lack of communication with the public." Hakubun Shimomura, chairperson of the LDP Election Strategy Committee, also said, "It's necessary for the prime minister to come to the front more often."
Many respondents of the survey, which was conducted from Friday and Sunday, were also critical about the government's push for the Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign. In the survey, more than 80% of respondents said the launch of the campaign "was not appropriate."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, who in charge of the campaign, has called for continuing the tourism promotion project, saying, "The entire tourism industry is now on the verge of death." However, the government apparently has failed to win public understanding.
According to a minister close to Abe, there had been hopes that approval ratings for the Cabinet would rise toward summer if all the citizens received a cash benefit of 100,000 yen. However, with 97% of people having been paid the benefits as of the end of July, such expectations went wide of the mark.
"If a vaccine is developed and spread, the public sentiment would change. But the path to recovering public support is going to be a long battle," a high-ranking government official said.
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