Abe's approval rating declines to lowest since late 2012

TOKYO - A latest poll result showed that the approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has declined to 36 percent, the lowest level since he took office in December 2012, local media reported on Tuesday.

The poll, conducted by Japan's Asahi Shimbun last Saturday and Sunday, showed that the approval rating for Abe's cabinet declined 2 percentage points from the previous poll in August, while the disapproval rating edged up 1 percentage point to 42 percent.

The poll also said more than 52 percent respondents were opposed to the government-proposed security related bills, which will allow Japan's Self Defense Forces to fight abroad even if Japan itself is not attacked, while only 29 percent people supported them.

As many as 68 percent people did not agree with the government' s plan to pass those bills before the current Diet session ends Sept 27 and 75 percent respondents thought the bills lacked enough discussions.

Those bills, which were rammed through the lower house in July, is under debate in the upper house and the ruling bloc led by Abe eyed to pass the legislation within this week. Tens of thousands protesters have rallied in front of the parliament building in central Tokyo recently to protest over the controversial bills.