Japan's ruling coalition faces a «difficult situation» and must stress what it achieved in the parliamentary session just ended, AP QUOTED Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying Thursday. Both houses of Japan's parliament were closed Thursday, ending a session that began Jan. 25 and freeing up lawmakers to concentrate on July 29 elections for half of the 242-seat upper house. The elections come as Abe, hobbled by scandals and a perceived lack of leadership, is marking his lowest support ratings since he assumed office last September. «I am aware that we are in an extremely difficult situation in these elections,» Abe said at a news conference. «But I am convinced that we can win if we plainly and thoroughly outline in the campaign our achievements and our plans for this country's future.» Abe's plunge has been precipitous. Recent popularity polls show support falling to 30 percent, from around 70 percent shortly after he took office in September. The nationally circulated Asahi newspaper said Thursday that a July 1 survey, its latest, showed more voters want a leadership change than a continuing rule by Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner. According to the Asahi, 48 percent of the 1,013 voters who responded to the telephone survey said they want opposition lawmakers to take the majority of the upper house in the upcoming elections, compared to 25 percent who want to stick with the ruling coalition.
