Over 20 % want opposition-led govt change in Japan: Jiji Poll
A Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday that 20.9 % of the respondents, the largest group, favour a change of government in Japan led by opposition parties.
Participants in the poll, conducted for four days through Monday, were asked what government framework they think is desirable. Respondents who want the continuation of the current coalition government run by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito ally accounted for 16.4 %.
Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents hoping for a government made up of the current ruling pair plus an opposition party came to 35.8 %.
Specifically, 11.7 % said that they want the Democratic Party for the People to join the coalition government, followed by 10.6 % seeking the participation by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 8.0 % by Sanseito and 5.5 % by Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party).
The survey also showed that 52.1 % think "it was good" that the LDP-Komeito pair lost its majority in the House of Councillors in the July 20 election for the upper chamber of Japan's parliament, while 19.4 % said they do not think so.
Of all respondents, 57.3 % said they think that the government and the ruling coalition should accept consumption tax cuts or the abolition of the levy, which were sought by opposition parties during the Upper House race, while 26.3 % said they do not think so. The share of respondents who said neither or that they do not know came to 16.4%.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
