TOKYO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday appointed veteran allies close to him to key roles within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to help bolster historically low public support rates, while balancing factional influences within the party.

The support rate for Abe's cabinet, which will itself be reshuffled later today, has dropped to historic lows of late amid a string of high-profile scandals involving Abe and senior LDP party members.