Abe losing public's trust

High-handed policies to lift ban on collective self-defense and other rightists moves are undermining support for the ruling coalition

Japan's quasi-army has hired Haruka Shimazaki, a member of the well-known AKB48 all-girl pop group, to help with recruitment.

A sweetly smiling Shimazaki can be seen in TV commercials and online videos, featuring the slogan "You and Peace", that are trying to recruit young Japanese to the self-defense forces with the promise, "a job you won't find anywhere else".