Support Rate for Japan’s Ruling Liberal Democratic Party Plunges to Record Low 19% in Wake of Historic Election Defeat

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:38 JST, July 23, 2025

The beleaguered ruling Liberal Democratic Party was dealt another setback when the latest Yomiuri Shimbun survey showed its support ratings had dropped to a record low 19%.

The dismal result of the urgent nationwide public opinion poll surpassed the 23% attained by the LDP in June, which had been the party’s lowest-ever number in the years since regaining power in 2012.

Support for Sanseito, which marked a sharp increase in Diet seats in Sunday’s House of Councillors election, stood at 12%, up from 5% in the previous survey, while the Democratic Party for the People jumped from 5% to 11%.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan marked a slight increase from 6% to 8%, as did Komeito from 3% to 4%.

The percentage of respondents who do not support any specific party fell from 43% to 29%.

Though a simple comparison cannot be made due to differing survey methods, the LDP’s dismal polling marks its low point since The Yomiuri Shimbun began taking monthly surveys in March 1978.

The party’s previous low was 21%, recorded in a face-to-face survey in July 1998 during the administration of then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

Asked how they evaluate the results of the upper house election, 38% of the respondents said it would have been better if the opposition parties had gained more seats, while 34% said the proportion was right and 20% favored more seats for the ruling coalition.

On the makeup of the next administration, 47% prefer a shift to an opposition-led government, exceeding the 35% who replied that they want the LDP-led administration to continue. That marks a notable change from the October 2024 survey just after a House of Representatives election, when 43% wanted the status quo and 40% favored a change.

Should the LDP coalition fall from power, the DPFP and CDPJ both drew 23% of support to become the central party in the government, while 11% chose Sanseito and 9% favored the Japan Innovation Party.

Regarding the scenario in which the LDP-Komeito coalition keeps the reins of government and an opposition joins the coalition, the majority of respondents opposed the idea. In the case of the CDPJ, 24% expressed support and 61% opposed it; for the JIP, the numbers were 25% and 56%, respectively, and for the DPFP, 25% and 59%, respectively.