Former PM Yoshihiko Noda Ranked Most Suitable Candidate for CDPJ Leader in Yomiuri Poll; Level of Support Increases with Age

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:40 JST, September 16, 2024

Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, 67, was selected by 32% of respondents as the most suitable candidate to be the next leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in a Yomiuri Shimbun opinion poll conducted nationwide from Friday to Sunday.

In the poll, respondents were asked to choose from among the four candidates in the CDPJ leadership election. Voting in the party election will be held on Monday.

Yukio Edano, 60, former CDPJ president, was ranked second with support from 14% of the respondents; Harumi Yoshida, 52, a House of Representatives lawmaker, was ranked third with 9%; and current President Kenta Izumi, 50, was ranked fourth with 8%.

Those who replied they favored no candidate in particular stood at 12%.

Among CDPJ supporters alone, Noda attracted nearly 50% support, Edano nearly 30%, Izumi less than 20% and Yoshida less than 10%.

Among respondents who do not support any specific party, 27% favored Noda, 13% Edano, 11% Yoshida and 5% Izumi.

By gender, Noda was favored by 35% of men and 29% of women.

By age group, Noda received the highest rate of support from those age 60 or older, at 40%. His level of support decreased with age, with 32% among those age 40 to 59 and 20% among those age 18 to 39.