Japan PM Abe support rates rise but doubts remain

TOKYO, Aug 29 (Reuters) The good news for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is that his popularity ratings are up.

The bad news is that more people would still like to see his charismatic predecessor make a comeback in the nation's top job.

Opinion polls today showed support for Abe's cabinet sharply higher after a revamp that put veteran politicians in key posts, but doubts remain over his leadership ability and willingness to deal with voter concerns on issues including healthcare.

Abe, in office since last September, is hoping for a fresh start after his previous cabinet was hit by a series of political funding scandals and gaffes that contributed to a crushing defeat for the ruling camp in an upper house election last month.

A poll by the Nikkei financial daily showed the cabinet's support rate at 41 per cent, up 13 points from late July. Other dailies showed similar rises, with ratings ranging from 33 to 44 per cent.

But most surveys showed his disapproval rating was even higher and the Nikkei said nearly half of voters were still unhappy with Abe's decision to stay on in the job despite the July 29 election defeat, which gave opposition parties control of the upper house.

Asked who should be Japan's next prime minister, voters' top choice was Abe's soundbite-savvy predecessor Junichiro Koizumi, who has indicated he has no plans to make a comeback.

Second on the list was Abe's close ally Taro Aso, the former foreign minister and now the No.2 in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who is setting his sights on the leadership should Abe falter.

Abe also lagged behind Ichiro Ozawa, who led the main opposition Democratic Party to victory in the upper house election by appealing to rural voters frustrated at painful economic reforms.

The election deprived the LDP and its junior coalition partner of their majority in the upper house, meaning the Democrats and their allies can reject bills approved by the lower chamber, delaying their enactment.

Ozawa has been asserting himself in recent weeks by opposing a law to extend a naval mission to support US-led operations in Afghanistan, which Abe is seeking to enact before the law expires in November.

The Nikkei poll showed more than half of voters were against extending the bill.

Abe's cabinet reshuffle on Monday has received a lukewarm reception from the media, reflecting doubts about his leadership ability, concern about the future direction of policies and looming battles with the opposition Democrats in parliament.

Under fire for focusing too much on his conservative agenda issues that include revising the pacifist constitution, Abe has pledged to deal more with voters' pocket-book concerns such as pensions and healthcare.

But analysts say it remains to be seen how he will address weak regional economies without appearing to backtrack on economic reforms such as cuts in government spending.

A poll by the Asashi newspaper showed 47 per cent of respondents said Abe should step down before his term as head of the LDP ends in 2009, while 41 per cent said he should stay.

Even among those in favour of him remaining, a majority said it was because there was no one else suitable to take over.

REUTERS SZ RK0945