Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Saturday that he will vote for Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe in the upcoming ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election on Sept. 20, Kyodo News reported.

This is the first time that the outgoing prime minister has publicly voiced support for Abe, who not only has secured support of over 70 percent of his fellow LDP lawmakers who will vote in the election, but also holds advantage over the other two candidates in 36 local LDP organizations.

Abe, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and Foreign Minister Taro Aso filed their candidacies on Friday as the LDP began official campaigning for the election.

Source: Xinhua