Japan’s Ruling Party Support Rate Passes 40% for First Time in About 3 Years Amid Takaichi Popularity

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:36 JST, March 1, 2026

The Liberal Democratic Party’s support level has reached the 40% range for the first time in about 3 years, according to a poll conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun after February’s House of Representatives election.

The approval matches that of the level of support before the LDP’s political funds scandal, which was a key factor in the party’s declining support. It also indicates that the support level of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is beginning to spread to the party itself.

In the nationwide poll conducted on Feb. 18-19, 43% of respondents said they support the LDP, the first time the party has passed the 40% mark since the cabinet of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in October 2022. The figure was 40% in the poll on Feb. 9-10.

Since the party returned to power in 2012, support has generally hovered between 30% and 40% levels. However, the support rate plummeted to the 20% range after the political funds scandal involving several of the party’s factions came to light. In July last year, during former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s term, support fell as low as 19%.

After the Takaichi Cabinet was formed last October, its approval rating was about 70%, and that of the LDP returned to the 30% range. Following the lower house election on Feb. 8, which saw the party achieve a historic landslide victory, party approval rose past 40%.

An LDP executive commented on the poll result, saying: “policies, such as those for responsible and proactive public finances, became known during the election campaigning, and expectations for Prime Minister Takaichi contributed to restore the party’s image.”

Among opposition parties, Team Mirai, which saw significant growth in the election, was most popular in a survey conducted on Feb. 18-19. The party received a support rate of 6%, surpassing the Centrist Reform Alliance and the Democratic Party for the People, both at 5%.

Support for Mirai, which was 1% in the Jan. 23-25 survey, has been steadily rising, reaching 4% in the Feb. 9-10 survey. Mirai’s leader Takahiro Anno said, “I think as our name recognition grew and people learned what kind of party we are, they thought, ‘Actually, Mirai is not bad.’”