Abe approval rating hits all-time low

A record low 32.0 percent of the public supports Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet, while the Democratic Party of Japan widened its lead over his Liberal Democratic Party in the runup to the July 29 election, according to a survey released Monday.

Protesters stage a sit-in Monday at Nagasaki Peace Park to denounce Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma's remarks in which he appeared to try to justify the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings. KYODO PHOTO

Abe's support rating dropped 1.5 percentage points from a similar survey a week earlier, while his disapproval rating rose 0.4 point to 58.1 percent, according to the Kyodo News nationwide telephone poll conducted over the weekend.

Among parties, the main opposition DPJ garnered the highest support at 24.5 percent, up 2.4 points from the previous poll. The survey asked respondents to name a political party they will be voting for in the proportional representation segment of the upcoming Upper House election.

The support rate for Abe's LDP stood at 17.9 percent, down 1.9 points, according to the survey.

The drop in support for the LDP appears to reflect public concern about the massive loss of pension records and Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma's controversial remarks on Saturday, which were derided as justifying the U.S. atomic bombings in World War II.

The survey polled 1,257 randomly selected voters Saturday and Sunday. It was taken right after the LDP-New Komeito alliance railroaded through the Upper House pension-related bills and legislation aimed at controlling the "amakudari" practice of government bureaucrats landing lucrative jobs in the private sector.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a stern warning Monday to Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma over his comment over the weekend that was taken to mean he felt the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan in World War II were justified.

"I hope the minister will continue to carry out his duties especially on the issue of nuclear disarmament, after having reflected on his words and fully grasped the weight of such remarks," Abe said, rejecting calls from the opposition that Kyuma be sacked.

After being summoned by Abe to his official residence early Monday, Kyuma apologized for and retracted the remarks, repeating an apology he made the day before during a press conference in Nagasaki Prefecture.

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