Sunday’s Mainichi front-paged the results of its monthly public opinion survey that put support for the Suga administration at a record low of 31%, down 9 points from five weeks ago, and nonsupport at 59%, up 8 points. Over 60% called for the cancellation or postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, with 71% saying that the government should prioritize combating COVID-19 over holding the Summer Games. The paper attributed a surge in public criticism of the Suga cabinet to its failure to curb the pandemic and determination to go ahead with the Olympics amid the fourth wave of infection.

The daily said in a separate piece that ruling party officials were shocked by the public’s strong rebuke of Prime Minister Suga, with some concluding that a rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines will be the only way for the embattled leader to win back voter confidence.