Support for Japan's PM Shinzo Abe sharply increases after 'utmost grief' for World War II statement

Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has bounced in the first poll conducted after he expressed "utmost grief" for the suffering Japan caused during World War II in a speech marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat.

Abe said on Friday he upheld past official apologies for the war, but the conservative leader said future generations should not have to keep apologising for the mistakes of the past.

In the survey by Kyodo news agency published on Saturday, support for Abe's government rose to 43.2% from 37.7% in the previous poll in July, a result likely to reinforce the view that he is set to win re-election as Liberal Democratic Party leader in a September party election. The disapproval rating fell 5.2 percentage points to 46.4%, although it still surpassed the support rate. The survey showed 44.2% of those polled viewed Abe's 70th anniversary statement favourably, exceeding 37% who didn't.

Abe's ratings started dropping sharply after scholars told a parliamentary panel in June that legislation ending a ban on the military fighting overseas to defend a friendly country would violate Japan's post-war, pacifist constitution.

The legislation passed parliament's lower house in July and is now before the upper chamber.