Asia-Pacific

Japanese dissatisfied with govt post-quake efforts

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-16 16:36

TOKYO - The majority of Japanese people are dissatisfied with the government's post-disaster handling but are in favor of a tax hike to raise funds for restoration efforts in the wake of the March 11 disasters,the Mainichi Daily News reported Monday.

According to the newspaper's survey, 58 percent of voters favor a tax increase to secure funds for reconstruction initiatives, compared to 33 percent who are opposed to the plan.

Regarding their views on the government's handing of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, 23 percent said that they were completely dissatisfied with the way the government had dealt with the ongoing incident at the Fukushima No 1 Nuclear power plant, while 45 percent said they were not very satisfied, the poll showed.

Regarding Kan's unprecedented move to shut down the Hamaoka nuclear power plant, 66 percent of respondents to the poll were in favor of the prime minister's decision and 68 percent from a separate poll by the Yomiuri newspaper said they also supported the decision.

The plant was halted Sunday on concerns for its safety should a major earthquake strike the region of the Hamaoka plant, operated by Chubu Electric Power Co.

The survey, conducted on April 16 and 17, also revealed that 58 percent of respondents did not trust the government's announcements about the release of radioactive material from the plant.

In addition, the survey revealed that 78 percent of respondents said Kan has not shown enough leadership in responding to the triple disasters. Fifty percent said they disapproved with the way the government has been supporting disaster-stricken areas, compared with 46 percent who approved of the government's actions.

Support for Prime Minister Kan's Cabinet stood at 22 percent, the daily reported, marginally higher than a previous poll taken in February, but still the second lowest rating on record since the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) came to power.

Opposition to Kan's administration came in a 54 percent, six points less than the Mainichi's previous poll.

When asked how long they want Prime Minister Kan to stay in office, the most popular response to the survey was "until the disaster response efforts are mostly taken care of," with 54 percent respondents in favor.

Twenty-six percent said they wanted the prime minister to quit immediately, according to the poll.