"If I'm to go down (at the next general election), I'd like to do so under the leadership of an admirable leader and under the banner of a magnificent manifesto," a first-term LDP lower house member was quoted by local media as saying.

Taku Yamamoto, an LDP lower house member who has been lobbying for the LDP presidential contest to be brought forward, launched on online petition Monday to collect "signatures" from the public.

However, critics say moves to unseat Aso are unlikely to emerge as there is concern within the party that the public will see through the LDP's tactics following the cutting short of Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda's tenure as Prime Minister.

Rising oppostion

On the other hand, the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) have appeared reborn from a fund-rasing scandal that forced the resignation of the powerful former President Ichiro Ozawa and seems to be more aggressive by winning stunningly in the recent mayoral elections.

The DPJ have already win three local elections in a row, signaling LDP's difficulty at the next lower house election in single-seat constituencies in urban areas, which have many uncommitted voters.

Sensing the urgency, Aso planned to visit Shizuoka Prefecture to stump for an LDP candidate in the gubernatorial election scheduled for July 5.

The Daily Yomiuri said the move reflects how seriously Aso is taking the possibility of an LDP loss in Shizuoka, as well as concerns he has over the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election set for July 12. Defeat in these contests would suggest the prospects for the LDP at the lower house poll are extremely bleak.

The public also showed more support for DPJ, although the rate once dipped briefly after the fund-raising scandal.

Forty-two percent of the respondents said Yukio Hatoyama, head of DPJ is more suitable for the prime minister's post than Aso, while 24 percent selected the prime minister, down 5 percent in the Asahi Shimbun survey.

Local media even reported Kunio Hatoyama might exit LDP and start his own party, which is possible to join DPJ of his brother Yukio Hatoyama. The brothers used to be remote due to difference on political views.

Before the Japan Post feud erupted, Aso wanted to use his economic stimulus measure and cash handout program to improve his ratings, but the Asahi Shimbun survey found the public remains largely unconvinced, with 62 percent of respondents saying they do not support the economic stimulus measures.

Aso is widely expected to dissolve the parliament in August, a time he hopes the public can feel the effectiveness of the economic stimulus measures.

A date proposed was Aug. 2, but the Daily Yomiuri quoted a senior ruling coalition member as saying that the New Komeito Party would do everything it can to seek to stop the lower house election being held on the day, just 21 days after the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, as it believes this would be too soon.

A general election has to be held by September this year. The LDP has nearly consecutive rule in Japanese politics in the past half a century.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2009)