Ishiba Cabinet Approval Falls to Record Low Amid Gift Voucher Scandal

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's approval rating has plummeted to a record low of 26% following a gift voucher scandal involving 15 lawmakers from his ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The approval rating dropped 14 percentage points from February, coinciding with widespread public criticism of the handouts, which were worth 100,000 yen each and given as a show of appreciation. Despite Ishiba asserting that the gifts did not violate political fund laws, he acknowledged the incident caused 'distrust and anger' and all lawmakers involved returned the vouchers. Polls from other news outlets also reflect a similar decline in public support, raising concerns about Ishiba's leadership ahead of the upcoming upper house elections in July. The scandal comes at a challenging time for Japan, as it faces economic pressures from the ongoing trade war instigated by the United States. Ishiba's approval ratings have experienced volatility since he took office last October, and this latest incident marks a significant downturn in public confidence.