Japanese PM Abe's approval rating at 51%; Seoul-Tokyo trade tensions have little impact

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's approval rating has fallen slightly,... but the impact on his popularity from Seoul-Tokyo trade tensions appear to be minimal.According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on Saturday,... the approval rating of Abe's Cabinet stood at 51 percent... in a nationwide telephone poll conducted Thursday and Friday.That's down two percentage points from the same survey conducted five days back.There had been reports that Abe is trying to use its trade conflict with Seoul... as a means to rally conservative voters ahead of the upper house elections later this month.Some Japanese media outlets have criticized the move,... saying it could hurt local firms and that it goes against free trade policies.