Hatoyama Enjoys 75% Approval Rating: Nikkei Poll

The Hatoyama new cabinet's approval rating stands at 75%, the second-highest approval rating ever for an incoming government, according to a survey conducted by Nikkei and TV Tokyo Corp. The all-time high was the 80% of Junichiro Koizumi's government, which took power in April 2001. The strong support indicates the public's high expectations for the new government's drive to take policymaking power away from bureaucrats.