18% to vote for Koike's new party in proportional representation blocs: survey

Some 18 percent of people surveyed by the Mainichi Shimbun said they will vote for Kibo no To (Party of Hope), a new political party led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, in the proportional representation blocs of the House of Representatives in the upcoming general election.

The figure follows the 29 percent who replied that they will vote for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Mainichi Shimbun conducted the nationwide opinion poll on Sept. 26 and 27 following the prime minister's announcement that he will dissolve the lower chamber on Sept. 28 for a snap general election.

Of the respondents, 49 percent said they want opposition parties to win more seats than they now have in the lower house, well above the 34 percent who responded that they want to see the ruling bloc comprised of the LDP and Komeito increase its strength in the chamber.

The approval rating for the Abe Cabinet came to 36 percent, down 3 points from the previous survey conducted on Sept. 2 and 3, while the disapproval rating rose 6 points from the previous poll to 42 percent.