Kan's support rate hits record low, Maehara favorite successor+

TOKYO, Aug. 21 Kyodo -
The public support rate for Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet has fallen to 15.8 percent, down from 17.1 percent last month and the lowest since he took office in June last year, a Kyodo News poll showed Sunday.
The Kan government's disapproval rating stands at 70.0 percent.
In a telephone poll conducted on Saturday and Sunday, former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara was the most popular politician among the potential candidates to succeed Kan, receiving 28 percent of votes by respondents, followed by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano with 11.0 percent and DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada with 10.9 percent.
Currently, six Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers, including Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda, are preparing to file to run as candidates to pick a successor to Naoto Kan as party leader and prime minister.
Maehara, who is being pushed by some DPJ lawmakers to run, will make a decision soon, but it is unlikely Edano and Okada will run this time.
Among those likely to run, Noda garnered only 4.8 percent of support and Kaieda just 4.7 percent in the weekend Kyodo News poll.
The survey also found 66.5 percent of respondents said cooperation between the DPJ and opposition parties over specific policies is the best course of action for the next administration to pursue after Kan steps down, while 19.7 percent want a grand coalition by the DPJ and the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party.
The survey, to which 1,016 eligible voters responded, found 75.5 percent want the new government to maintain Kan's policy of gradually phasing out nuclear energy, while 20.2 percent were opposed to the country exiting from nuclear power.
Kan adopted an anti-nuclear policy stance in the wake of the emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
As for what they expect from the new government with multiple answers allowed, 63.7 percent said restoration of northeastern Japan ravaged by the disaster is the most important priority.
The survey showed 33.5 percent said they want the government to make dealing with economic and employment conditions its top priority, while 27.5 percent sought reviews of nuclear and energy policies.
Kan has said he is ready to quit soon after key bills are passed in parliament, which looks likely to happen later this month. The DPJ leadership is considering conducting the party's presidential election on Aug. 29.
Of the respondents, 47.5 percent said Kan should have resigned earlier, and 67.0 percent said they do not appreciate his achievements during his 14-month premiership.
On the timing to hold a general election by dissolving the House of Representatives, the largest response was ''within this year'' at 29.1 percent, according to the survey.
By political party, the DPJ was supported by 19.3 percent, up from 14.7 percent in the previous survey, while the LDP garnered the approval of 23.3 percent, down from 25.9 percent last month.
Your Party was supported by 6.6 percent, New Komeito by 4.5 percent, the Japanese Communist Party by 2.9 percent, the Social Democratic Party by 0.9 percent, and the People's New Party, the DPJ's coalition partner, by 0.6 percent, the survey showed.