Japan’s Suga Heads Into Olympics Test With Support at Record Low
- Rate for the prime minister hovers near danger zone of 30%
- National general election must be held in coming months
Yoshihide Suga
Photographer: Nicolas Datiche/Sipa/Bloomberg
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Yoshihide Suga’s support rate hit a record low just days before the start of the Olympics, raising the political stakes for the Japanese prime minister who faces a general election soon after the games.
About 33% of respondents to a survey carried out by public broadcaster NHK between July 9-11 said they supported Suga’s cabinet, down four percentage points from the previous month. The survey came 10 days ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which Suga needs to be held without major mishap to support his bid to avoid becoming a short-term leader.