Tokyo, Oct 14 (IANS): Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) remains the most popular choice among Japanese voters ahead of the general election on October 27, results from a local media survey showed.
In a nationwide telephone survey conducted over the weekend by Kyodo News, 26.4 per cent of the respondents indicated they plan to vote for the LDP, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, in the proportional representation segment. In comparison, 12.4 per cent expressed support for the main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, reports Xinhua, quoting Kyodo News.
The LDP's coalition partner, Komeito, garnered 6.4 per cent support, while 33.2 per cent of those surveyed were undecided about their vote.
Despite criticism over slush funds scandals, the LDP is working to improve its image under Ishiba's leadership. About 65.2 per cent of respondents said they would take the slush funds scandal into "consideration" or "some consideration" when casting their vote, while 32.2 per cent indicated it would not influence their decision.
The approval rating for Ishiba's Cabinet stood at 42 per cent, with a 36.7 per cent disapproval rate. This represents a decline from a survey taken shortly after his inauguration earlier this month, which saw a 50.7 per cent approval rate, but Kyodo News stated that no simple comparisons are possible due to the use of different polling methods.
In the single-seat districts, 46.6 per cent of respondents were undecided, 28.5 per cent planned to vote for an LDP candidate, and 22.9 per cent intended to vote for opposition candidates.
When asked about their desired outcome from the election, 50.7 per cent of respondents preferred an evenly split parliament between the ruling and opposition parties, 27.1 per cent wanted the ruling party to maintain dominance, and 15.1 per cent hoped for a reversal of power.
The key issues influencing voter decisions were the economy, employment, and inflation, cited by 57.0 per cent of respondents. Pensions and social security followed at 38.4 per cent, while political funding scandals were a concern for 14.4 per cent.
The survey reached 503 household members and 761 mobile phone users, randomly selected from 617 households and 3,367 mobile numbers.