Abe took power in December 2012 on the back of widespread frustration with the previous administration's handling of the March 2011 nuclear disaster and a faltering economy which he vowed to revive. The party lost more than half of its seats, with the result seen as a bellwether for national political sentiment. For months Abe has been dogged by scandals, most recently claims he showed favouritism to a friend in a business deal, an accusation he denies. Among those who disapproved of Abe, 95 percent were critical of how he addressed the favouritism scandal. A separate poll by top-selling daily Yomiuri Shimbun, showed the approval rate had dipped 13 points from the previous survey last month to 36 percent, also the lowest in its polls since Abe took office.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 10, 2017 05:37 UTC