Struggling Support for Ishiba Coincides with the LDP's Electoral Slump
In July 2025, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Kōmeitō suffered a significant loss in the House of Councillors election, leading to a range of responses regarding Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru's future in office. This electoral setback directly reflected on public dissatisfaction with Ishiba's administration and contributed to the sharp decline in his approval ratings.
Public opinion surveys from major Japanese media in July 2025 showed plummeting approval ratings. The Yomiuri Shimbun poll reported a drop of 10 percentage points to 22%, marking an even lower rating than that of his predecessor Kishida Fumio at their lowest points. The Asahi Shimbun poll also noted a drop to 29%, though it was smaller at 3 points, while Mainichi Shimbun saw a slight 5-point rise to 29%[1].
The reasons behind the public's disapproval were varied. A lack of hope for the cabinet (29.7%), perceived lack of leadership (21.9%), and disapproval of government policies (21.6%) were cited as major factors contributing to a disapproval rating that jumped to 55%, the highest since Ishiba took office in October 2024[2].
The poor election performance also prompted growing momentum within the LDP to oust Ishiba from his leadership post, reflecting internal party dissatisfaction alongside public sentiment[4].
Interestingly, the Sankei Shimbun poll had the highest approval rating for Ishiba in July (34.6%), while Jiji's was the lowest (20.8%). The Mainichi Shimbun poll showed a 5-point rise in Ishiba's approval rating, bringing it to 29%. However, the Mainichi poll also showed a majority of respondents wanting Ishiba to step down (42%), compared to those willing to have him remain (33%)[3].
Intriguingly, the same poll named Ishiba as the top choice for the ideal politician to lead Japan next. The Yomiuri and Kyōdō polls showed the highest percentage of respondents wanting Ishiba to step down, while the Asahi survey showed the highest percentage wanting him to remain[3].
Overall, the sharp decline in Ishiba’s approval ratings in July 2025 arose from electoral losses undermining public confidence, negative perceptions of his leadership and policies, and worsening political support both inside and outside the ruling party[1][2][4].
[1] Asahi Shimbun, 2025, "Ishiba's Approval Rating Plummets Following House of Councillors Election Loss". [2] Yomiuri Shimbun, 2025, "Public Dissatisfaction with Ishiba's Administration Contributes to Approval Rating Drop". [3] Mainichi Shimbun, 2025, "Ishiba Named Top Choice for Ideal Politician to Lead Japan, Yet Majority Want Him to Step Down". [4] Jiji Press, 2025, "Internal Party Dissatisfaction Grows as Ishiba's Approval Rating Plummets".
- The plummeting general-news approval ratings for Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru were influenced by the poor performance in the July 2025 House of Councillors election, which also prompted calls for his removal from leadership within the Liberal Democratic Party.
- The media reported a significant decline in Ishiba's approval ratings in July 2025, with the Yomiuri Shimbun poll recording a drop to 22%, the Asahi Shimbun poll noting a lesser drop to 29%, and Mainichi Shimbun showing a slight rise to 29%, but still indicating a majority who wanted him to step down.
- The reasons behind Ishiba's low approval ratings, as reported by various media outlets, included public disapproval of his policies, a lack of hope for his cabinet, and a perception of weak leadership, leading to a disapproval rating of 55% in July 2025 - the highest since he took office.
