The latest poll results released by Japan News Network (JNN) on the 7th showed that the approval rating of the Kishida cabinet fell further by 1 from the lowest record set last month8 percentage points, down to 271%, the lowest JNN poll since the establishment of the Kishida Cabinet.
At the same time, its disapproval rate also increased by 2 from the previous month4 percentage points, rising to 704%, the highest JNN poll since the establishment of the Kishida Cabinet.
Screenshot of the Japan News Network report.
At this juncture, Japan's ** did something to be scolded again.
Firmly aid Ukraine".
Against the backdrop of the general "fatigue" of the United States and European countries about supporting Ukraine, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Uekawa made an unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv on the 7th.
Through this visit, which was mainly conducted in a bomb shelter, Kamikawa not only conveyed Japan's determination to continue to "firmly support" Ukraine, but also "strongly condemned" Russia, and said that it would donate $37 million to NATO for military aid to Ukraine.
Screenshot of NHK** report (title picture is Yoko Uekawa).
The AFP report mentioned that on the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Kamikawa became the first foreign senior ** to visit Ukraine this year.
The visit is a minor episode in Kamikawa's two-week NATO multi-country trip, which began on January 5.
At a meeting with Kamikawa on the 7th, Ukrainian ** Zelensky thanked Japan ** for all kinds of "help" to Kyiv and praised "Japan is our very important and strong partner."
Screenshot of the report of France 24 TV **.
However, Uekawa's visit has caused a lot of controversy in Japan.
Due to the serious ** incident in the Noto area of Ishikawa Prefecture in his country, the number of victims is still increasing, and some Japanese netizens posted sarcastically: "Until now, no one (in the Kishida cabinet) has been to Noto, but some cabinet members have gone to Ukraine to ......."”
Others simply accused the LDP of being an outcast.
Screenshot of a Japanese netizen's post.
Since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with the escalation of the West's "support for Ukraine and contain Russia", Japan, which is far away from the European battlefield, has also followed in the footsteps of the United States and Europe, not only launching multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia, but also intending to "take advantage of the wind to make the ship", and fish in troubled waters on the two sensitive issues of military expansion and arms sales under the guise of "aiding Ukraine".
On the 22nd of last month, Japan approved a record defense budget for fiscal year 2024, and at the same time brazenly revised the "Three Principles for the Transfer of Defense Equipment" and its application guidelines, allowing for the first time in history to "resell" the "Patriot" produced "Patriot" produced in Japan to the United States, the country with a manufacturing license for the "Patriot" air defense missile system.
This not only means that Japan will export lethal equipment to the outside world for the first time, but also will in fact realize Japan's intention of "curvy aid to Ukraine".
Because after the United States imports "Patriots" from Japan to replenish its own stocks, it can use its own stocks to aid Ukraine and other countries. In this way, Japan is equivalent to indirectly assisting Ukraine, so as to achieve the goal of expanding its influence and improving its status within the Western bloc.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun: Japan is considering agreeing to allow its Patriot air defense missile systems exported to the United States to be exported by the United States to third countries in order to deepen its relations with NATO.
In this regard, Russian spokeswoman Zakharova warned that Japan cannot control its exports, and the United States can control these at will, so it cannot rule out the possibility that the "Patriot" produced in Japan will eventually appear in Ukraine.
Such a scenario will be perceived by Russia as unequivocal hostilities and will have serious consequences for Russian-Japanese bilateral relations. ”
Screenshot of the Reuters report.
Black gold" pushes it deeper into the "dangerous waters".
If Russia's warning is only a "long-term concern" for Japan, then the fermenting Liberal Democratic Party's "black gold" scandal is destined to be a "near-term worry" for the Kishida cabinet.
In November, five factions within the LDP were reported for violating laws by failing to record political fundraising and hiding small coffers.
Among them, the largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party, officially known as the "Seiwa Policy Research Association," has become the target of public criticism. According to Japanese media statistics, in the five years from 2017 to 2022, the unrecorded improper funds of the "* faction" amounted to 600 million yen (about 29.85 million yuan).
Schematic diagram of the composition of "black gold" provided by the Tokyo Shimbun.
Since mid-December last year, the Special Investigation Department of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office has officially launched an investigation into the "** faction" black gold scandal.
On the 7th of this month, Yoshitaka Ikeda, a member of the House of Representatives of the "* faction" and a former vice minister of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and vice minister of the Cabinet Office, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Regulation Act, becoming the first member of the Diet to be arrested since the "black gold" scandal was exposed by the Liberal Democratic Party.
Asahi Shimbun: The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office has accused Ikeda of conspiring with his secretary to receive a total of 48.26 million yen (2.4 million yuan) in kickbacks on the sale of political fund-raising party tickets from the "** faction" between 2018 and 2022, and failing to include the money in his political fund income and expenditure report. (The title picture shows Yoshitaka Ikeda).
Subsequently, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida immediately responded, saying that he was "very sorry" for Ikeda**. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) immediately announced that Ikeda would be removed from the list.
However, some Japanese netizens believe that "even if [the Liberal Democratic Party] expels him, he will not be able to escape responsibility."
Screenshot of a Japanese netizen's post.
That's true. The "black gold" scandal has aroused strong anger among the opposition parties and the general public in Japan. Although Fumio Kishida later removed all the members of the "** faction" in the cabinet and the top of the Liberal Democratic Party, Japan ** did not buy it.
Japan Times: The "black gold" scandal has completely shaken the position of the Liberal Democratic Party.
In fact, a long time ago, the approval rating of the Kishida cabinet continued to decline due to the failure of economic governance and the blind increase in military spending.
In Japan**, a cabinet approval rating of less than 30% is considered to be in "dangerous waters". And the approval rating of the Kishida cabinet has been in this range for several months in major polls.
And the "black gold" scandal has undoubtedly added another dry wood to the fire of public opinion.
Screenshot of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun report.
Faced with such a situation, Fumio Kishida said last week that the biggest priority at present is to regain the trust of the people, and he will set up a new agency tentatively named "Political Innovation Headquarters" this week, which will be led by himself himself, to formulate regulations on political funding for factions within the party and strengthen the control of LDP members.
However, according to a recent survey, as many as 59% of Japanese respondents said they "do not expect" the establishment of a "Political Innovation Headquarters" within the LDP.
In addition, 90% of people said that it was necessary to strengthen the punishment measures. As for what the LDP faction should do in the future, 52% of the respondents said that it should be dissolved.
Screenshot of the report by Yahoo News in Japan.
Material**丨Global Information Broadcasting "Global Deep Observation".
Planner丨Wang Jian.
Reporter丨Shan Shan.
Editor丨Yang Nan.
Signed丨Wang Jian.
Producer丨Guan Juanjuan.