Shoring up support

 

Kishida enjoys reasonable public support 10 days into the job, polls show, boding well for his goal of maintaining a lower house majority for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its Komeito party coalition partner.

 

Voters will want to see a government with plans for decisive action to end the pandemic and rebuild the economy.

 

A recent Sankei newspaper poll showed that about 48 percent say they want the Kishida administration to work on coronavirus most, followed by economic recovery and employment.

 

Reflecting on the last 11 days, Kishida said: "I've had a very busy schedule but strangely, I'm not feeling tired – I'm feeling fulfilled."

 

Kishida, tasked with rallying support for the ruling party, has promised to pursue politics of “trust and empathy.”

 

In his first policy speech last Friday, Kishida promised to strengthen the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in case of another resurgence and revive its battered economy while bolstering defences against threats from China and North Korea.