Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's popularity has plunged below that of the main opposition leader due to numerous verbal gaffes and worries over his handling of the economy, a poll showed Monday.
Public support for Aso's cabinet has tumbled to 28 percent, down from 45 percent shortly after he took office more than two months ago, according to a weekend telephone survey of 1,000 adults by private broadcast network FNN.
When asked which party leader was most suitable for prime minister, 33 percent said Ichiro Ozawa, the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, while just 32 percent picked Aso.
The flamboyant but error-prone politician, who in September became Japan's fourth premier in just two years, favours increased public spending to rescue Asia's biggest economy from its first recession in seven years.
But 72 percent of voters disapproved of his economic stimulus measures, the poll showed.
Aso has also come under fire in recent weeks for appearing to insult doctors and parents among others, and an overwhelming 78 percent of respondents disapproved of Aso's words and actions.
Another survey by the Nikkei economic daily put voter support for the Aso government at 31 percent, down 17 percentage points from a month ago.
The chief government spokesman admitted a series of gaffes by the conservative premier were partly to blame.
"I think people turned a critical eye to the remarks by the prime minister," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told reporters, adding Aso would cope with problems "without losing the people s point of view."
Most recently the outspoken conservative was forced to apologise Thursday after criticising the elderly for not staying fit, risking a backlash in the rapidly greying country.
He has also been criticised for his frequent visits to expensive hotel bars while many voters are struggling to cope with the recession.
Aso took office with a mission to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to victory in elections which must take place by September 2009.
He has put off polls for now because of the global financial crisis, saying a bigger priority is to tackle the economic slump by pushing through a 300-billion-dollar package to try and reinvigorate the economy.
The Nikkei poll showed 52 percent of respondents disapproved of his decision to put the elections off.
