Abe rallies support for stepped-up sanctions against North Korea

Tokyo

POLITICAL scandals embroiling Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were sidelined on Monday as the embattled leader held a lengthy phone conversation with US President Donald Trump and sought to drum up international support for stronger action against growing North Korean nuclear threats.

Pyongyang's launch of a new long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which landed in the Sea of Japan dominated headlines, eclipsing the woes of Mr Abe and his plunging popularity after his hand-picked defence minister Tomomi Inada resigned for alleged incompetence.