Abe's approval rating plunges amid lingering school scandal

Nikkei -- Jun 19

Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has dropped below 50% for the first time in more than a year as respondents expressed dissatisfaction with his response to allegations of preferential treatment toward a conservative educator.

The cabinet's approval rating plunged to 49% in a weekend poll by Nikkei Inc. and TV Tokyo, down 7 percentage points from May and 11 points compared with April. The government's disapproval rating climbed 6 points to 42% -- the highest since October 2015.