Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku on Friday downplayed media projections of a defeat for the ruling Democratic Party of Japan in Sunday's Upper House election, saying his party still has 48 hours to regain voter support.

"We still have today and tomorrow left for campaigning. I've run in elections myself and know that this is when crunch time begins," Sengoku told reporters after being asked about the dismal forecasts.

Sengoku said Prime Minister Naoto Kan's goal of winning at least 54 seats — the number of DPJ seats up for grabs in Sunday's election — remains unchanged. Polls by major newspapers Friday showed the DPJ could instead fall short of 50.