September 20, 2023

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on September 19 said, “The Kishida Cabinet should convene an extraordinary session of the Diet without delay in order to discuss measures to tackle the challenges Japan is currently facing, such as the cost of living crisis.”

Koike made this remark at a press conference in the Diet building when asked for a comment on the results of opinion surveys which media outlets published on the previous day following Prime Minister Kishida’s cabinet reshuffle.

An FNN Network survey shows that the approval rating for the Kishida Cabinet fell to 38% and that the percentage of respondents who rated the cabinet reshuffle low reached 49%. In a Mainichi Shimbun poll, the support rate tied a record low of 25%. In the same survey, asked if the cabinet reshuffle raised expectations for the Kishida administration, 77% said “No”. In an Asahi Shimbun survey, only 25% of respondents positively evaluated Kishida’s cabinet reshuffle and nearly 80% expressed their disapproval for the Kishida government policy to deal with the rising cost of living. In addition, regarding Kishida’s appointment of four Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers, who admitted to their connections with the former Unification Church (currently Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), as ministers, 75% saw this as a problem.

Koike pointed out, “The overwhelming majority of people expect nothing of significance from the reshuffled cabinet. In every survey, a majority of respondents regarded the government’s countermeasures against the rising cost of living as inadequate.” He said, “The JCP will urge the Kishida government to convene an extraordinary Diet session without delay.” He expressed his determination to make efforts to submit a joint request with other opposition parties for an early convocation of the extra Diet session.

Past related article:
> PM Kishida in cabinet reshuffle neglects his responsibility to cut LDP-Moonies connections [September 14, 2023]