Abe seen as preferred LDP leader in Kyodo poll

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seen as the most desirable leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, with just over a third of people polled expressing a preference for him in next month's party leadership contest, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.With Abe announcing the same day that he will run in the LDP election on Sept. 20, the poll of 1,027 respondents showed that 36.3 percent support Abe as leader of the ruling party.His main rival Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister, was backed by 31.3 percent as the ideal leader.The LDP leadership contest, which will effectively decide Jap…READ FULL ARTICLE