Frustrated with each issue, supporters for
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are increasing. Recent polls showed certain growth of
supporting rate of Abe Cabinet, exceeding over fifty percent. Money scandal of
a Minister added negative image of on the Cabinet. Not so many people wanted
constitutional amendment this summer. But, more people thought that Abe has
been making good jobs than in the last poll.
In the poll operated by Kyodo News Agency
last weekend, supporting rate of Abe Cabinet marked 53.7%, increasing by 4.3
points from the poll last month. In the poll of Mainichi Shimbun, the rate was
51%, jumping up by 8 points from the last poll. Support for leading Liberal
Democratic Party also showed apparent growth. It was 34% with rise of 5 points
in Mainichi poll.
Many must have expected that supporting
rate for Abe would decline with money scandal of former Minister in Charge of
Economic Revitalization, Akira Amari, who was one of the closest aids of Abe.
But, both polls showed that people did not connect the scandal to
responsibility of Abe who named Amari, while they were overwhelmingly thought
that Amari should have stepped down. In Mainichi poll, 67% of the recipients
realized that Amari had not explained well about his scandal, and one half of
them thought Abe’s choice of the successor, Nobuteru Ishihara, was not
supportable.
Meanwhile, the polls showed that people
were not enthusiastic on amending the Constitution of Japan, which Abe raised
as a major issue in the election of House of Councillors this summer. 46% of
the recipients in Mainichi poll did not expect that the amendment power would
occupy two-third majority, which would be needed to take initiative. Kyodo poll
showed that six out of ten in independent voters opposed constitutional
amendment, as 32% of LDP supporters were also negative on it. Supports were
outstanding in young agers, while more than a half of women opposed it.
On an unpopular trade issue, Trans-Pacific
Partnership, even the supporters of leading parties sent negative message. 75%
of Komeito supporters and 65% of LDP supporters thought that the bills for
approval of TPP should not be passed in current session of the Diet. 64% of the
supporters of Abe Cabinet did not insist on the passage in this session.
One positive element for Abe administration
was diplomacy. Abe was successful in making basic agreement to settle comfort
woman issue with Republic of Korea. While most people did not expect it to lead
to final solution, 65% approved the effort of Abe administration. It was also
apparent that most people did not respond negatively to volatile economy, being
seen from the beginning of this year. The Japanese look generally optimistic to
their future.
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