TOKYO, June 27 — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's approval rating continued its slide ahead of an upper house election next month, but support for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was way ahead of rivals, public broadcaster NHK reported today.

The Kishida cabinet's approval came to 50 per cent in NHK's voter survey conducted on June 24-26. That was down from 59 per cent two weeks ago and 55% last week.

The report did not give reasons behind the decline, but Kishida's support weakened in other media surveys as well in recent weeks with the public hit hard by soaring energy and food prices.

Support for the LDP, however, came to 35.6 per cent, far ahead of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's 6 per cent, boding well for Kishida, who strives to win a clear victory in the July 10 election to solidify his grip on power. — Reuters