The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, aiming to rebuild trust damaged by money scandals, is hopeful that the upcoming change in its top leadership will give it a boost.
The LDP will hold a leadership election in September to choose the successor to President Fumio Kishida, the country's prime minister, who said last week that he will step down without seeking reelection.
The party hopes to capitalize on a sense of renewal stemming from the election of a new president. In the past, there were instances in which public support for LDP-led Cabinets improved significantly after leadership changes.