Chief Secretary's LGBT Hate Speech... Japanese Prime Minister's Approval Rating Plummets

1% Point Drop Compared to Previous Month
Approval Rating Stays in 20% Range for 5 Months
Measures Taken After Secretary's Dismissal

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Following the backlash over a secretary's anti-LGBT (sexual minority) remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's approval rating has dropped once again. Although Prime Minister Kishida has taken steps to manage the situation, including issuing an apology after the controversy, public backlash does not seem to be subsiding.

Mainichi Shimbun reported that a survey conducted nationwide from the 18th to the 19th targeting adults aged 18 and older showed the Kishida Cabinet's approval rating fell by 1 percentage point from the previous month to 26%. The approval rating has remained in the 20% range for five consecutive months, but it is declining over time.

The recent drop in approval ratings is attributed to discriminatory remarks against same-sex marriage that surfaced within the Kishida Cabinet. Earlier, on the 3rd, Masayoshi Arai, former secretary to the Prime Minister, made hateful remarks when reporters asked his views on same-sex marriage, saying, "If (same-sex couples) live next door, I don't like it," and "All the secretaries are against the legalization of same-sex marriage. If it is recognized, some people will leave Japan."

After the remarks became problematic, Prime Minister Kishida dismissed former Secretary Arai within a day and apologized, stating, "Those remarks do not represent the government's views." Arai was a figure who had been responsible for drafting Kishida's policy speeches five times and had handled publicity and media relations since the Cabinet's inception.

In an effort to resolve the controversy, on the 17th, Prime Minister Kishida also held meetings with representatives from three sexual minority-related organizations, but public reaction remained cold. According to Mainichi's public opinion poll, 65% of Japanese citizens responded that the human rights of sexual minorities are not being properly protected. Only 15% answered that they are being protected.

Regarding Kishida's firm stance on same-sex marriage during talks with sexual minority group representatives, where he described it as "an issue that changes society," he clarified, "It was not meant in a negative way." He added, "The statement was made in the sense that there is a need for discussion among the public as the system changes further."

More than half of the public expressed support for legally allowing same-sex marriage in relation to this issue. According to Mainichi's survey, 54% of respondents supported the legalization of same-sex marriage. Among those in their 30s and 40s, 70% supported same-sex marriage, and high approval rates of 60% and 50% were recorded among those in their 50s and 60s, respectively.

After dismissing the secretary, criticism continued, prompting Prime Minister Kishida to appoint former Justice Minister Masako Mori as the person in charge of sexual minority human rights and take additional measures. Legislative discussions to promote understanding of sexual minorities have also taken place in the Japanese National Diet.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.