A monthly NHK opinion poll shows the approval rate for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's Cabinet has dropped five points to 38 percent, marking the second consecutive month of decline. The disapproval rate rose 4 points to 41 percent.

NHK conducted the telephone survey from Friday to Sunday, reaching out to 2,434 randomly chosen people aged 18 or older, with 1,218 responding.

The survey took place at a time when Japan's national My Number ID system has been plagued with problems. The Japanese government plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the system by around this autumn.

Thirty-three percent of respondents said the government's response has been appropriate, while 49 percent thought it has not, and 18 percent could not decide or did not answer.

The survey also asked about the government's plan to expand the scope of uses for My Number cards. Thirty-five percent said they support the idea, 49 percent said they are against it, and 17 percent could not decide or did not answer.

The government plans to abolish the national health insurance card after integrating it with the My Number card in the autumn of 2024. Thirty-six percent of respondents said the plan should be postponed, and 35 percent said the plan should be canceled altogether. Twenty-two percent said the health insurance card should be abolished as planned.

The survey also asked about the Kishida administration's plans to release treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean.
Thirty-five percent of respondents said they approved the release, 20 percent were against it, and 40 percent could not decide.