An NHK opinion poll shows that the support rate for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's Cabinet rose 3 percentage points from last month to 36 percent. The disapproval rate fell 4 percentage points to 41 percent.

NHK conducted the telephone survey on 2,483 randomly selected people aged 18 or older over the weekend. Of them, 1,229 responded.

The survey asked about the government's plan to reclassify the coronavirus to the same category as seasonal flu on May 8. Of the respondents, 58 percent said they support the plan, while 25 percent said they are against it.

The respondents were also asked about their plans following the government's announcement that it would let individuals decide from mid-March whether to keep wearing masks. Half of them said they would continue wearing masks, 38 percent said they would be without masks more often, and 6 percent said they would always be without masks.

At present, people are recommended to wear masks indoors.

The government intends to increase defense spending for the five-year period from fiscal 2023 to about 43 trillion yen, or 325 billion dollars. That's up 60 percent from the current five-year budget.

The respondents were divided on the plan, with 40 percent in favor of it and another 40 percent against it.

On the government plan to raise taxes to finance part of the defense budget, 23 percent supported the idea and 64 percent opposed it.

Asked whether same-sex marriage should be recognized by law, 54 percent said it should be, while 29 percent said it should not be.