Support for Japan PM Ishiba hits record low as rice price soars Kyodo reports
TOKYO - Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has hit a record low, with nearly nine out of every 10 voters dissatisfied with the governments response to soaring price of rice, the nations beloved staple, Kyodo news agency reported on May 18.
Support for Mr Ishibas government was at 27.4 per cent, down from 32.6 per cent a month ago, a Kyodo poll showed, boding ill for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito in an upper house election slated for July.
The poll showed 87.1 per cent of respondents found government measures addressing rising rice prices insufficient.
Retail rice prices are about double what they were a year ago after extreme heat hit crops and a tourism boom added to demand, although the government in March started releasing stockpiled rice into the market. REUTERS
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