TOKYO, Nov 17, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi continues to bask in high popularity, surveys showed Monday, even as ties with China worsen and the economy stutters.

The cabinet of the nationalist leader had a 69-percent approval rating while 17 percent of survey participants disapproved, a weekend poll taken by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed.

Another survey by Kyodo News, released Sunday, also found a similar trend with the approval rating at 69.9 percent while 16.5 percent disapproved of her government.

Takaichi took power on October 21, becoming the first Japanese woman prime minister, replacing her political rival and moderate Shigeru Ishiba after a string of election setbacks.

Takaichi, 64, who admits only sleeping between two and four hours a night and earlier this month called a 3:00 am staff meeting, has had an intense start.

This included a visit to Japan by US President Donald Trump and two regional summits -- one in Malaysia and another in South Korea -- that featured talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Her comments about Taiwan in parliament on November 7 have ignited a diplomatic spat, with Beijing demanding a retraction and advising its citizens not to travel to Japan.

Anger about inflation contributed to her predecessor Ishiba's demise and on Monday official data showed that economic output contracted in the third quarter.

Takaichi's government is working on a stimulus package worth more than 17 trillion yen ($110 billion) which reports said could be finalised this week.