Japan PM Abe's ratings regain 50% amid North Korea security jitters

[TOKYO] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's support ratings have recovered to the 50 per cent level, a poll released on Tuesday showed, helped by public jitters over North Korea's missile and nuclear tests and by disarray in the main opposition party.

A September 8-10 survey by the Yomiuri newspaper put support for Abe's administration at 50 per cent, up 8 points from the previous month.

Mr Abe's support had sunk below 30 per cent in some polls in July, battered by suspected cronyism scandals and perceptions among voters that he had become arrogant after more than four years in office.

His ratings improved slightly cabinet reshuffle in early August.

Since then, news has been dominated by rising regional tensions over North Korea's ballistic missile tests, including one that flew over northern Japan. Mr Abe has spoken to US President Donald Trump by phone numerous times, seeking to demonstrate the US-Japan alliance is firm.

Pyongyang last week carried out its sixth and biggest nuclear test and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera warned more provocations could be in store after the UN Security Council stepped up sanctions, imposing a ban on the North's textile exports and capping crude oil imports.

"Japan also wants to take leadership to change North Korea's policies while coordinating closely with other countries," Mr Abe told reporters on Tuesday.

With parliament in recess, Mr Abe was "able to use the 'crisis' in North Korea to monopolise the spotlight by getting the media to portray him as a strong leader," said Koichi Nakano, a political science professor at Sophia University.

Japan's opposition Democratic Party, meanwhile, failed to improve its ratings after the election last month of a new leader, former foreign minister Seiji Maehara.

The Democrats also face likely defections to an embryonic party that allies of popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, an ex-ruling party lawmaker, are trying to form.

Sixty percent of voters did not hold hopes for Maehara's leadership compared to 33 per cent who did.

Support for his party languished at 5 per cent versus 40 per cent for Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, the Yomiuri said.

Reflecting Ms Koike's popularity, the yet-to-be-launched "Japan First" party, fared better, with 41 per cent expressing hopes for the new group.

Whether Mr Abe can maintain the gains in popularity remains to be seen.

"The scandals have not gone away and in a couple of weeks, Abe will have to convene the Diet ... so the recovery in support levels may well turn out to be temporary," Mr Nakano said.

REUTERS