Japanese PM Abe slumps in polls as pressure builds

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Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe saw his ratings fall in three opinion polls published on Monday, as pressure continued to grow ahead of a vote in September on his leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Abe has been hit by accusations of cronyism and other government missteps, while Finance Minister Taro Aso is facing calls to step down after his top aide resigned amid accusations of sexual harassment.

Abe’s ratings fell three points to 30 percent in a poll by the Mainichi newspaper. The conservative Yomiuri put his support at 39 percent, also down three points, while the right-leaning Sankei showed a drop of 6.7 points, to 38.3 percent.

A demonstrator holds up a placard during a protest against Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso in Tokyo, Japan, March 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

The sinking public support is dampening Abe’s hopes of winning a third term as leader of the LDP in a September vote he must win to stay in office, and has triggered speculation he may step down sooner.

The surveys were the first since Junichi Fukuda, the finance ministry’s top bureaucrat, stepped down last week after allegations of sexual harassment of female journalists. Fukuda has denied the accusations.

Opposition parties have increased calls for the resignation of Aso, a close ally of Abe, after Fukuda quit.

The opposition has threatened not to attend parliamentary debates unless Aso quits, possibly delaying legislation, including labor reform, that was watered down after a separate scandal.

Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister (L), listens to Taro Also, Japan's deputy prime minister and finance minister, at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo, Japan, March 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

About half of voters agree that 77-year-old Aso, who is also deputy premier, should step down, two polls showed.

Asked about the calls for Aso to quit, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters, “After the problem is clarified, I want him to take the lead to prevent recurrences and work to regain trust.”

Fukuda denied a report this month by weekly magazine Shincho that he sexually harassed several female reporters and said he would sue the publisher. The women have not come forward publicly, a common response in a country where women victims of sexual harassment fear being blamed themselves.

The case is one of several challenges facing Abe, who returned to office for a rare second term in December 2012, pledging to bolster Japan’s defenses and reboot the economy.

The prime minister has repeatedly denied intervening in a heavily discounted sale of land to a nationalist school operator with ties to his wife. The finance ministry has admitted it doctored documents related to the transaction, another reason opposition lawmakers say Aso should resign.

Abe has also denied that he acted to get favorable treatment for another school operator run by a close friend.

He topped the list of LDP lawmakers whom party supporters want to see as premier, the Yomiuri poll showed, but his support slipped to 47 percent from 53 percent in a previous survey.

Meanwhile Abe plans to visit France in July, Foreign Minister Taro Kono told his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday. Abe is expected to attend the Bastille Day parade on July 14.

(With input from agencies)

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