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Shigeru Ishiba has emerged as the most popular candidate in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election among the general public, according to an Asahi Shimbun survey conducted on Sept. 14 and 15.

When asked who is “most suited” to be the next LDP president, 26 percent of the respondents in the nationwide telephone poll picked Ishiba, a former LDP secretary-general.

Shinjiro Koizumi followed, chosen by 21 percent, and Sanae Takaichi was third, with 11 percent.

Yoko Kamikawa and Taro Kono each gained 4 percent, followed by Takayuki Kobayashi and Yoshimasa Hayashi with 3 percent each.

Katsunobu Kato and Toshimitsu Motegi each received 1 percent.

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Nine candidates running for the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election attend a joint speech meeting in Fukushima on Sept. 15. (Tamiyuki Kihara)

The nine candidates are vying to replace Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the party’s leadership election, which will be held on Sept. 27. The winner is essentially guaranteed to become the next prime minister.

The survey received 1,070 valid responses.

In the previous Asahi Shimbun survey conducted in August before the official campaign began, respondents were asked the same question with a list of 11 names. Ishiba and Koizumi tied in first at 21 percent.

The party election will be determined mainly by lawmakers and rank-and-file members of the LDP.

Among respondents who said they were supporters of the LDP, a reversal was seen at the top of the picks.

In the latest survey, Ishiba was selected by 32 percent of LDP supporters. Koizumi placed second among this group at 24 percent, followed by Takaichi at 17 percent.

In the August survey, Koizumi was the top vote-getter among LDP supporters, with 28 percent, while Ishiba was second, chosen by 23 percent.

The survey also asked about the LDP’s decision to officially endorse lawmakers who were implicated in the political fund scandal in the next Lower House election.

Seventy-six percent of the respondents said they “are not convinced” about the decision, while 15 percent said they “are convinced.”

The survey also asked respondents about candidates in the Sept. 23 presidential election of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

When asked who they thought would be best suited to lead the CDP, 29 percent said former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, followed by 15 percent for Yukio Edano, a former CDP president.

Six percent chose Kenta Izumi, the current party president, and 5 percent picked Harumi Yoshida, a Lower House member.

Among respondents who support the CDP, Noda received 56 percent of the picks, far ahead of Edano’s 10 percent.

Among all respondents in the survey, 28 percent supported the LDP, up from 26 percent in the August survey.

Seven percent supported the CDP, unchanged from August.

The support rate for Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) also remained flat, at 2 percent.

Respondents were also asked which party they would choose in the proportional representation system if a Lower House election were held now.

Thirty-seven percent picked the LDP, the highest ratio for the party since May 2023. In the August survey, it was 32 percent.

Sixteen percent said they would vote for the CDP, up slightly from 15 percent in the August survey.

Nine percent said they would vote for Nippon Ishin, down from 10 percent in August.

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