According to a Kyodo News poll released Sunday, just over 36 percent named Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who officially entered his party's presidential election the same day, as the most suitable leader for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ahead of the contest next month. His rival, Shigeru Ishiba, placed second.

The latest telephone poll, conducted over the weekend, showed that 36.3 percent said they support Abe as LDP leader, while 31.3 percent see Ishiba, a former defense minister, as the ideal leader.

Another 4.9 percent favor Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda, while 22.7 percent said none of them were suitable.