Even Japanese Voters Supporting Ruling Camp Seem to Have Been Critical of LDP’s Political Fund Problems during General Election

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo

Analysis of results of The Yomiuri Shimbun’s opinion poll showed that voters, including those who supported the ruling parties, were severely critical of political funds scandal of the Liberal Democratic Party’s factions, and that this was reflected in the latest lower house election.

To the question of whether the LDP factions’ politics and money problems affected the results of the general election, 90% of all respondents replied that they thought so.

This answer was given by 89% of respondents who support the ruling parties, as well as 96% of those supporting opposition parties and 84% of those who do not support any specific parties.

About the fact that the LDP provided ¥20 million to party chapters represented by members who were not endorsed by the party due to the hidden funds scandal during the election campaign period, 79% among all respondents said it was unacceptable.

Ninety-one percent of those supporting opposition parties, 80% of those who do not support any specific party and 66% among those who support the LDP gave the same answer.

This view seems to have led to the landslide loss of the LDP in the election.

While people in general are losing faith in politics, the data suggested that many voters did not want the political situation to be destabilized due to rapid change.

In a question about whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should resign due to the election results, which saw the ruling coalition lose their majority in the lower house, 56% of all respondents replied that they did not think so.

Among those who support the LDP, 73% gave this answer. Among those who support opposition parties, 47% said this, as did 57% of those who do not support any specific parties.

Among respondents who said the election results were good, who accounted for 58% of all respondents, 56% said they did not think Ishiba should resign.

Even among respondents who said they found the provision of the ¥20 million unacceptable, 56% said they do not think Ishiba should resign.

About what type of administration they favored in the wake of the general election, 43% said they hoped that the LDP-led administration will continue. The figure was slightly higher than 40% who hoped that the reins of the government would shift to an opposition party-led coalition.