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Abe’s popularity slips in opinion polls
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Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slid in opinion polls after his ruling coalition pushed through parliament a tough secrecy act that critics fear could muzzle media and allow officials to hide misdeeds.
Shrinking support could push Abe, who took power last year pledging to revive a stagnant economy, to soft-pedal his security policies until next year’s budget is enacted and a sales tax hike from April is safely navigated, some analysts said.
Abe was quick to defend his action, but said he should have taken more time to explain the bill carefully.
“With humility and sincerity, I must take the severe opinion from the public as a reprimand from the people. I now look back and think with regret that I should have spent more time to explain the bill carefully,” Abe said yesterday.
“But there have been no rules on designating, releasing, and preserving state secrets. That is where the real problem is.”
Support for Abe’s government fell 13.9 points to 54.6 percent in a poll by broadcaster JNN, the lowest since he took office, although backing for the main opposition Democratic Party rose just 0.9 point to 6.8 percent and was dwarfed by the 30.3 percent who backed Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
A survey by news agency Kyodo showed support for Abe’s cabinet fell 10.3 points to 47.6 percent, its first drop below 50 percent in a Kyodo poll since Abe began his rare second term.
His first term in 2006-2007 ended when he resigned after a year marked by a massive election- loss, deadlock in parliament and poor health.
About 82 percent of the respondents to the Kyodo poll, conducted on Sunday and yesterday, wanted the secrets act — which some critics have likened to Japan’s harsh authoritarian regime before and during World War II — to be revised or abolished.
“During the parliament deliberations, there were expressions of concern such as ‘Secrets will be multiplied endlessly,’ ‘People will be deprived of their right to know,’ and ‘Daily life will be threatened’,” Abe said.
“But such things will never, ever happen.”
Abe has said the secrecy act is vital to convince allies such as the US to share intelligence as he sets up a US-style National Security Council to streamline foreign and security policy.
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