Poll shows 27% favor Kono as Japan's next ruling party leader

Ishiba, Kishida next most popular in runup to election to decide Suga's replacement

20210904N (copy of 20210903 Kishida, Kono, Ishiba and Takaichi)

Declared and potential contenders to lead the ruling LDP include, from left, Fumio Kishida, Taro Kono, Shigeru Ishiba and Sanae Takaichi. (Source photos by Wataru Ito, Yumi Kotani and Uichiro Kasai)

Nikkei staff writers

September 11, 2021 20:00 JST

TOKYO -- Japan’s Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono is the favorite to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as the next president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, according to an opinion poll conducted by Nikkei and TV Tokyo on Sept. 9-11.