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TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's coalition looks increasingly likely to lose a July 29 upper house election, an outcome that would threaten policy paralysis and put pressure on him to resign.
Public anger at Government bungling of pension records had already slashed Abe's poll ratings, and weekend remarks by Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma that appeared to condone the 1945 atomic bombings of two Japanese cities compounded the woes.
Kyuma resigned on Tuesday but Abe's support is below the critical 30 per cent level.
- REUTERS