Support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida jumped 6 percentage points from last month to 61% in a new poll, with about two thirds of respondents saying they approved of his government’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Japan has acted with unprecedented speed to clamp down on Russia, including by freezing the assets of individuals and entities, as well as stripping the country of its most-favored nation trade status. In response, Russia halted negotiations on a peace treaty that would bring a formal end to World War II.
About 44% of respondents to the poll carried out over the weekend by the Nikkei newspaper said they approved of Japan’s sanctions on Russia, while 41% said the economic punishments should be stronger. An overwhelming 90% of respondents said they agreed with the government’s decision to accept refugees from Ukraine, which is an unusual step for Japan.
