Latest Jiji poll finds Ishiba more popular than Abe as next prime minister pick

Aug 11, 2017 | News On Japan

Aug 11, 2017 (Japan Times) - Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba is the most popular pick among the public as a politician deemed preferable to become Japan's next prime minister, a Jiji Press poll has found.

Fully 18.0 percent of the respondents chose Ishiba, followed by incumbent Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with 14.4 percent support. Ishiba rose from third in the previous survey conducted last November, ousting Abe from the top slot.

Abe's strength has been eroded amid growing public frustration with his administration mainly over alleged favoritism toward Kake Educational Institution's new university faculty plan. The university operator is headed by a friend of Abe.

The Jiji survey found LDP Chief Deputy Secretary-General Shinjiro Koizumi was third, chosen by 13.1 percent, followed by LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Kishida with 8.8 percent support. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike came next with 7.9 percent, followed by Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda with 4.5 percent.

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