Despite victory in July's Upper House election, 52.5 percent of respondents oppose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remaining leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party beyond his current term through September 2018, a poll showed Thursday.

Some 37.8 percent supported Abe remaining as LDP president after his second term ends, according to a telephone poll conducted Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday, Abe appointed as party secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai, who has been in favor of amending party rules so Abe can serve a third term. The rules currently limit the LDP president to two consecutive terms or six years.