Public support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, battered by a smoldering scandal and a perception that he is taking voters for granted, has fallen below 30 percent, the lowest since he returned to power in 2012, a survey released on Friday showed.
The suspicion of scandal over alleged favoritism linked to a friend's business and missteps by his Cabinet ministers have taken a toll on Abe, who until recently was favored to win a third three-year term as a leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and hence, prime minister when his term expires in September 2018.
Support for Abe's government sank 15.2 points from a month earlier to 29.9 percent, according to a July 7 to 10 survey by Jiji Press. The biggest reason cited for not backing the Cabinet was lack of trust in the prime minister.