Tokyo, Sept. 13 -- Japan's former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi has emerged as the leading contender to become the next president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), according to a poll released by Kyodo News, ahead of the party's leadership election set for October 4.

In a two-day nationwide telephone survey released on Friday by Kyodo News, 28 per cent of respondents said Takaichi was the most suitable candidate to lead the LDP, followed by Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at 22.5 per cent, positioning them as the frontrunners to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who announced his resignation on Sunday.

Despite Ishiba's resignation, a large majority, 76.4 per cent, said they did not believe his depa...