Japan's Sanae Takaichi Plans Cabinet Reshuffle, Food Tax Cut Amid Slipping Approval

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing ANN, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's approval rating has fallen to 49.2%, the first time it has dropped below 50% since she took office. She plans to reshuffle her cabinet next month, bring members of the coalition partner Japan Innovation Party into the cabinet, and lower the food consumption tax to ease public anger over inflation. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's strong position in parliament has also backed Takaichi's government: all 64 bills it submitted in the current Diet session were passed, the first 100% passage rate since the Kishida cabinet in 2022. Takaichi said on Monday she was not rattled by approval ratings and would reflect policy issues raised in polls in government policy. According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Nikkei, after the Diet session closed, people inside the government judged that cabinet personnel decisions should be made early to show a fresh start. Takaichi said she would seek a more stable administration by bringing Japan Innovation Party members into the cabinet, while co-leader Fumitake Fujita said the party would accept the post at the appropriate time and would not back down. Takaichi also said on Tuesday she had finalized the food tax cut plan with Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taro Aso and Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki, with legal revision procedures to begin as early as Thursday and the food consumption tax to be cut to 1% from April next year for two years.