Abe preferred to continue as prime minister: Jiji poll

January 20, 2018

Tokyo- The largest proportion of the Japanese public want Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to remain in the country's top leader post, a Jiji Press poll found Friday.

Abe, also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was chosen by 24.1 percent of the respondents. He was followed by LDP Chief Deputy Secretary-General Shinjiro Koizumi, who was favored by 20.2 percent, and former Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, who came third with 15.6 percent.

The poll shows that Abe, supported by half of the LDP supporter respondents, leads other potential candidates in the LDP's election to choose the new party president who will take office after Abe's second term ends in September.

Ishiba, regarded as a key potential candidate, was most preferred to be the next prime minister when a Jiji Press poll last asked about the most suitable leader for the country in August last year.

LDP policy chief Fumio Kishida, who has not clarified whether he will join the party race, ranked fifth at 3.8 percent, followed by internal affairs minister Seiko Noda, who plans to run, in sixth place at 2.4 percent, and Foreign Minister Taro Kono in seventh at 2.3 percent.

Of the respondents supporting the LDP, Abe received backing from 50 percent, far exceeding rivals Koizumi, who gained support from 17.5 percent, Ishiba from 14.1 percent, Kishida from 4.8 percent, Kono and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso from 2 percent and Noda from 1.7 percent.

Of the respondents who do not support any particular parties, Koizumi was most popular with 21.5 percent support, followed by Ishiba with 15.6 percent and Abe with 15 percent.

Yukio Edano, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, ranked fourth in the overall ranking at 4.7 percent.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and former Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto both ranked eighth, at 2.1 percent. Neither of them is a parliament member.

The survey, conducted for four days through Monday, was based on interviews with 2,000 people aged 18 or older across Japan. Valid responses were received from 63 percent. Jiji Press