Voter support for Japan PM Kishida slides to record low: Poll

TOKYO - Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government slid to a record low, a poll conducted by Jiji news agency showed on Thursday, as

his tax cut plans

to help cushion the blow of rising inflation left voters unimpressed.

In the research conducted from Nov 10 to 13, 21.3 per cent of those polled said they supported Mr Kishida’s government, down from 26.3 per cent in October.

In the latest survey, 51 per cent of respondents said they do not see his tax reduction steps positively.

Mr Kishida’s new economic stimulus measures include cutting annual income and other taxes by 40,000 yen (S$360) per person, and paying 70,000 yen to low-income households.

Jiji said resignations by senior officials of the Kishida administration could also have reduced the support rating.

Deputy finance minister Kenji Kanda

stepped down on Monday

over revelations that he had been delinquent on tax payments.

He was the third ruling-party lawmaker to quit the Kishida administration in less than a month. REUTERS