Japan's Shinzo Abe receives warning from ratings agency ahead of snap election

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has received a warning from credit ratings agency Fitch just days ahead of snap elections in the country.

The country's credit rating has been placed on "Rating Watch Negative" by the agency after Abe delayed the implementation of a sales tax from 2015 to 2017.

The Japanese government is struggling to spur economic growth in the country and push the economy out of deflation.

In a statement Fitch said the delay in the sales tax raises "doubts over the authorities' commitment to the objective of fiscal consolidation."

Recent data showed that Japan's economy shrank more than was initially reported in the third quarter amid a declining business environment, a trend that seemingly backed Shinzo Abe's decision to delay a sales tax increase by 18 months.

Japanese voters will head to the polls on 14 December, with much of the political debate centred on economic policy. Abe's incumbent party is expected to win a landslide victory in the vote.