Support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet has fallen below 50% for the first time since she took office in October last year, according to Kyodo News, which ran the poll.

The poll, taken Oct. 17 and 18, put her cabinet's approval rating at 49.1%, down 4.3 percentage points from September, Kyodo reported. Disapproval rose to 33.0% from 30.9%.

The drop came after farm minister Kazuo Yana resigned on Wednesday, The Japan Times reported. More than 57% of people in the poll said Takaichi's move to replace him came too late, and 81.5% said it was only natural for him to step down. Another 54.7% said his resignation would affect the future of her government, Kyodo reported.

Takaichi had appointed Yana in a cabinet reshuffle last month, The Japan Times reported. Weekly magazines reported in late September that he had said road budgets were sharply cut for two towns in his Tochigi Prefecture district whose leaders did not back him in the February general election, Kyodo reported. He was also accused of arranging free bus rides for supporters during campaigns.

Yana largely acknowledged the road funding reports but denied doing anything illegal, saying he had not pressed the land ministry to cut the budgets, Kyodo reported. Takaichi had openly scolded him in parliament over the remarks, The Japan Times reported.

Opposition parties had been pushing for his removal, Kyodo reported. Takaichi appeared to let him go to limit damage to her government and clear the way for parliament to debate key bills, including one to cut the consumption tax on food and drinks from 8% to 1% for two years.

The poll is the latest sign of pressure on Takaichi, who became prime minister a year ago.

What we know: Takaichi's cabinet approval fell to 49.1% in the Oct. 17-18 Kyodo poll.
What we don't: Whether her support will recover as parliament takes up the tax cut. Only Kyodo News has reported this independently so far; NewsHabit hasn't seen independent confirmation.