KYODO reported on Sunday that Prime Minister TAKAICHI's cabinet approval rating
slid to 49.1% in an Oct. 17-18 poll, the lowest since she took office in Oct.
last year. The decline criticism follows of her handling of the resignation of
the agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, who quit after Wednesday
remarks about cutting road-construction funding to local governments that do not
support him were reported. KYODO said 57.7% of respondents felt TAKAICHI's
The decision to remove the minister was too late and 81.5% said his resignation was
warranted. The minister had been appointed in last month's cabinet reshuffle and
was publicly rebuked by TAKAICHI in parliament after the remarks surfaced
earlier this month.
