Hatoyama's ratings dip unlikely to strain ties

Beijing - Slumping support for Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is unlikely to affect the recent thaw in China-Japan ties, observers said on Monday.

A poll conducted by the Tokyo-based Jiji Press put Hatoyama's approval ratings at 23.7 percent, a sharp 7.2 percent fall from March.

This has put pressure on the fate of his seven-month-old cabinet, according to Kyodo News Agency.