Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe is close to gaining majority support among Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers, putting him in a strong position to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as LDP president and prime minister.
More than 180 out of 403 LDP lawmakers were expressing support for Abe as of Monday, according to the latest Kyodo News poll.
Abe, also the favorite in public opinion polls to become the next prime minister, has consistently maintained a sizable lead over potential rivals.