Sep 25, 2017 (Japan Today) - Over 60 percent of Japanese voters do not support Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's reported plan to dissolve the House of Representatives later this month to call an election, a Kyodo News poll showed Sunday.
In the survey conducted over the weekend following media reports Abe plans to hold a general election on Oct. 22, 64.3 percent said they do not support the premier's drive to seek a fresh mandate, while 23.7 percent expressed support.
When asked about which party they would vote for in the proportional representation system of the lower house election, Abe's Liberal Democratic Party ranked top with 27.0 percent, compared with 8.0 percent for the main opposition Democratic Party, the poll showed.
A new party being organized by those close to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike garnered support from 6.2 percent, followed by 4.6 percent for the Komeito party, the junior coalition partner of the LDP, 3.5 percent for the Japanese Communist Party and 2.2 percent for the Japan Innovation Party.
Some 42.2 percent said they have yet to decide which party they will vote for.
The poll also showed 78.8 percent of respondents are not satisfied with the government's explanation on favoritism allegations involving private school operator Moritomo Gakuen and university operator Kake Educational Institution, run by a friend of Abe.
Only 13.8 percent said they are satisfied with the government's explanation on the matters.
