The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday had the highest support rating going into next month's Upper House election, leaving the opposition Democratic Party of Japan far behind, the latest survey says.

The nationwide telephone survey, conducted Saturday and Sunday by Kyodo News, found that 28.8 percent of the respondents intend to vote for the LDP in the proportional representation section of the House of Councilors election and that 8.2 percent plan to vote for the DPJ.

Among the other parties, New Komeito, the LDP's junior coalition partner, drew 6.0 percent support, followed by 4.8 percent for the Japan Restoration Party, 3.9 percent for Your Party, 3.2 percent for the Japanese Communist Party, 0.6 percent for the Social Democratic Party, 0.2 percent for Kokumin no Seikatsu ga Daiichi (People's Life Party), and 0.1 percent apiece for New Party Daichi and Green Wind.