Japan’s leader is so unpopular he is struggling to give money away

Japan’s prime minister wants to give money back to the people. They’re saying: “No, thanks.”

Mr Fumio Kishida has seen

his popularity plummet to worrying new lows

in every major poll, with approval dropping almost 11 percentage points to 29.1 per cent in a JNN survey, taken shortly after he announced his latest economic stimulus package. The Prime Minister has overcome low polling before, but more concerning will be the opposition to his centrepiece plan for tax cuts: Mr Kishida intends to return 40,000 yen (S$360) per taxpayer next year in a one-time reimbursement of the country’s growing tax revenue, as well as hand out cash to lower-income households. But 64 per cent of those polled by JNN say they disapprove. Economists reckon the moves will have limited impact on the economy, with the money likely to end up in savings.