7 in 10 Japanese support Russia sanctions even if they feel impact

More than seven in 10 Japanese support economic sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine even if the sanctions’ impact extends to the Japanese economy and their lives, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.

In the two-day telephone survey through Sunday on 1,067 eligible voters, 58.7 percent of respondents supported Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet, compared with 60.1 percent in March.

As Japan ramps up sanctions against Russia over its invasion along with other Group of Seven nations, 68.7 percent said rising prices of food and other products have hit their daily lives “terribly” or “to some degree.” In contrast, 31.2 percent said they have not.

Still, the poll showed 73.7 percent feel it necessary to keep the sanctions in place, while 22.1 percent said it is unnecessary to continue them.

Regarding the government’s response to Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine, 62.6 percent approved of its handling, while 30.7 percent disapproved.

Besides accepting hundreds of evacuees fleeing Ukraine, Japan has sent bulletproof vests, helmets and winter battle uniforms to war-torn Ukraine via Poland by plane.

Japan has also unveiled $300 million in aid to the Ukrainian government and in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians who have fled to neighboring countries.

As for the government’s plan to craft an economic relief package by the end of this month to cushion the impact of rising prices, 48.2 percent said the move was “slow,” while 43.7 percent found it “appropriate.”

The disapproval rate for the Cabinet came to 23.1 percent, compared with 21.9 percent in March.

Meanwhile, 76.8 percent said they are “very worried” or “to some degree worried” about a fresh wave of the coronavirus, against 22.9 percent who are not, according to the survey.

Japan confirmed 39,291 new virus cases on Sunday, less than half of the over 100,000 daily infections seen in early February, but cases have been picking up since late March.

The support for the administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic remained almost unchanged at 60.7 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from last month.

The poll showed few Japanese planning to go on a trip or go back to their hometowns during the Golden Week holidays starting in late April, with 10.1 percent saying they are. As much as 72.4 percent said they have no such plans.

In the House of Councillors election to be held this summer, 41.9 percent said they will vote for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the proportional representation portion.

It was followed by 10.9 percent for the opposition Japan Innovation Party, 8.7 percent for the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and 4.6 percent for Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the LDP.

The survey, reaching 491 randomly selected households with eligible voters and 1,956 mobile phone numbers, yielded responses from 435 and 632 people, respectively.

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