Public support for governments in China and Japan during a global health crisis

Abstract Emergencies and crises pose challenges to sustaining public support for governments. Based on the theoretical distinction between intrinsic and instrumental sources of public support, this study examines public support across three levels of government (national, provincial/prefectural, and city) in China and Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate the fragility of China’s authoritarian politics, as public support is heavily reliant on the government’s economic assistance to individuals. Such instrumental support is inherently unstable and may rapidly decline if the government’s budget is reduced and patron–client incentives cannot be maintained. As an intrinsic source of public support, beliefs in the superiority of a country’s political system are closely linked to public support in both China and Japan. Government performance, particularly effectiveness in managing the COVID-19 outbreak and providing economic support to businesses, emerges as a crucial determinant of public support in both authoritarian and democratic systems. Good performance is essential for robust and sustainable development of Japan’s democracy.