TOKYO -- Despite mounting political pressure, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's push to reform the financial market and end deflation continue to be rated positively by market watchers in the country, a Nikkei survey has found.
The Nikkei Stock Average is once again approaching the 40,000 mark after already setting records this year, buoyed by wage hikes, corporate governance reforms and other factors. Yet Kishida's approval rating has flagged over his handling of a sprawling political funds scandal, stoking speculation on if and when he might call a general election.
