The public approval ratings of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may have plunged to record lows amid scandals over suspected cronyism, but a Reuters poll shows the Japanese business community has a much more positive view of him.
Out of 223 respondents, 73 percent wanted Abe to win a third, three-year term as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which would pave the way for him to continue as prime minister and become Japan's longest-serving prime minister. The LDP will hold a vote to elect its party leader in September.
The survey responses point to a desire for political stability and a lack of confidence in political alternatives, particularly among opposition parties. They want Abenomics policies that have weakened the yen and buoyed the stock market to continue.