Two-thirds of Japan voters oppose PM Abe calling snap election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, on Sept 20, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO (REUTERS) - Almost two-thirds of Japanese voters are opposed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling a snap election, a Kyodo news agency survey showed on Sunday (Sept 24), a day before the Japanese leader is expected to announce an October vote.

According to the survey, 27 per cent of the respondents plan to vote for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in proportional representation districts in the expected lower house election, versus 8 per cent who favour the struggling main opposition Democratic Party.

The poll also showed that 6.2 per cent will vote for a new party aligned with popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, which is expected to be launched this week. Another 42.2 per cent remain undecided.

Abe is expected on Monday to announce plans to call a general election for Oct 22 to take advantage of a rebound in his damaged approval ratings and an opposition in political disarray, ruling party and government sources said.

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