Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, 67, is leading in the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's leadership race, followed by former CDP leader Yukio Edano, 60, a Jiji Press survey of CDP lawmakers has found.

Meanwhile, a survey of CDP regional party officials, including local assembly members, showed that Noda, Edano and current party chief Kenta Izumi, 50, are in a tight race.

The situation is still fluid as many respondents in both surveys said they had not decided yet on whom to vote for in the leadership election scheduled for Monday.