Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended his farm minister Sunday against media allegations he had filed false financial statements - the latest blow to his ruling camp ahead of this month's national election.

But Abe, whose fate could rest on the July 29 upper house poll, said Agricultural Minister Norihiko Akagi might have to explain further to allay public doubts after media reports he had booked millions of yen in expenses for offices at the homes of his own and his wife's parents which were no longer in use.

Abe's public support has already sunk below 30 percent, battered by voter outrage over bungled pension records and concern about political corruption.

Two-thirds of Japanese who visited welfare offices to seek advice after the pension fiasco came to light are unhappy with the way Abe handled the scandal, a poll of 100 people by Kyodo news agency showed Sunday.

Abe said during a series of televized debates that Akagi had done nothing wrong by booking expenses for more than one political office, and noted the farm minister had denied filing false records at a news conference on Saturday.

"If he needs to explain further, of course he himself will and should explain," Abe said.

"If he explains properly, I think he can be convincing."

Akagi, 48, was appointed in early June following the suicide in May of then Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who had been under fire for a series of political funding scandals.

Opposition leaders urged Abe to order Akagi to explain more clearly and produce receipts for his spending, and even the prime minister's ruling coalition partner, New Komeito party leader Akihiro Ota, said a more thorough explanation was needed.

"There is nothing illegal, as far as I have heard," Ota said. "But further explanation is needed."

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected Abe, 52, party president and hence prime minister last September in hopes he could lead the ruling camp to victory in the upper house poll.

But while Abe has won praise for improving ties with China, he has suffered a series of blows on the domestic front.

His Cabinet took a fresh hit last week when Fumio Kyuma had to resign as defence minister for remarks that appeared to condone the 1945 US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

(China Daily via agencies July 9, 2007)