Poll Finds High Approval Rating for PM Takaichi’s Economic Measures, 63% Agree with Reactivation of Nuclear Power Plants

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, December 23, 2025

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi maintained a high approval rating in a poll conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun from Friday to Sunday.

The approval rate appears to be supported by the economic measures put forward by the government, as well as the supplementary budget for fiscal 2025, which funds the general economic measures. Due to increases in electricity costs, there is greater public understanding for the reactivation of nuclear power plants as well.

On the other hand, most taxpayers are feeling burdened by the high cost of living.

The poll found high appreciation for various policies put forth by the prime minister. The supplementary budget, which includes payments of ¥20,000 per child and subsidies for winter utility bills, was approved by 61% of the respondents. The widely favored budget was approved by 55% of opposition party supporters and 56% of nonaffiliated voters.

The concept of “responsible and proactive public finances” proposed by Takaichi was approved of by 74% of all respondents — while 88% approved among the respondents supporting the ruling coalition and more than 60% among opposition supporters and nonaffiliated voters. This economic approach was particularly well favored by young and middle-aged respondents.

Asked whether they would agree to the reactivation of a nuclear power plant that meets regulatory standards, 63% of respondents said yes, whereas 52% agreed to the same question in September 2022. The higher percentage may have been influenced by the upward trend of electricity costs caused by the weaker yen and other factors.

The Takaichi Cabinet was rated highly in areas other than the economy as well. China is increasingly taking a strict stance against her “Taiwan contingency” remark in the Diet. However, when asked about the Takaichi Cabinet’s posture toward China, 62% of the respondents approved of it, which was 6 percentage points higher than the figure in November’s poll.

Meanwhile, 47% of the respondents said they strongly felt that the high cost of living is a burden on their family budgets. The Cabinet approval rating among those respondents was 69%, slightly lower than the rest.