Japan's Takai cabinet support falls below 50% after imperial succession law

Recent polls show a sharp decline in support for Prime Minister Sanae Takai’s cabinet. The Daily News reported a support rate of 41 % and an opposition rate of 44 %, the first time opposition has surpassed support since the cabinet took office. Asahi Shinbun’s telephone survey gave a support figure of 53 % and a disapproval rate of 35 %, while a separate poll put support at 53 % and disapproval at 35 %.

The drop follows the passage of a revision to the Imperial Household Law that allows male descendants of former princely families to be adopted into the imperial line but retains the ban on women inheriting the throne. The reform keeps Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito’s only child, excluded from succession. Public opinion surveys show 70‑80 % of Japanese citizens favor a female emperor, creating a stark gap between government policy and popular sentiment.

Additional polling on a separate controversy – the alleged creation and dissemination of defamatory videos targeting political opponents – revealed that 40 % of respondents were dissatisfied with Takai’s explanations, while only 31 % said they were satisfied. The combination of the succession law and the defamation‑video issue appears to be driving the cabinet’s waning popularity.