Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to be weakening, with two recent opinion polls suggesting voters are losing patience with her leadership. Takaichi, who won a sweeping mandate in February 2026, has since focused political capital on conservative causes rather than tackling pressing cost-of-living issues.

Analysts attribute the decline not merely to the end of her honeymoon period but to her use of a commanding parliamentary position to push through legislation favored by the most conservative factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. This has come at the expense of visible progress on everyday concerns such as rising prices.

Michael Cucek, a professor of Asian Studies at Temple University’s Tokyo campus, commented, “She was given an immense mandate with a two-thirds majority for her own party, so there should have been nothing to obstruct her policies and no need to extend the Diet session, which they have just done.” He further criticized Takaichi for failing to align her key policies and for her “obsequiousness” to US President Donald Trump, focusing on fringe issues that pleased the far-right but did little to improve ordinary citizens' lives. Cucek summarized, “In short, she has blown it and I see these opinion polls as more of a performance review than a sign that Takaichi’s ‘honeymoon period’ has come to an end.”

On May 17, 2026, the Diet passed two controversial laws: one criminalizing the desecration of the national flag, which critics argue violates free speech rights, and another revising the Imperial Household Law to reinforce the rule that only men may ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne.

These legislative moves have contributed to the growing dissatisfaction among voters, reflecting a shift in public sentiment towards Takaichi’s administration.

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