LDP losing support among doctors ahead of election: Kyodo poll+

TOKYO, Aug. 8 Kyodo -
The embattled Liberal Democratic Party is losing support among doctors,
traditionally a key political base of the ruling party, ahead of the Aug. 30
general election, a Kyodo survey showed Saturday.
The survey found that the number of prefectures in which doctors' groups plan
to back LDP candidates in all electoral constituencies has dropped to 19 from
29 in the previous poll for the House of Representatives election in 2005.
Particularly notable is Ibaraki Prefecture, where a doctors' group has
recommended candidates of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan in all
seven constituencies, after many practitioners and their relatives broke with
the LDP over policies including the launch of a new healthcare plan for people
aged 75 or older last year.
The survey also suggests that local construction industry groups are distancing
themselves from the LDP. The number of prefectures in which local construction
industry groups have decided to support LDP candidates in all electoral
constituencies has fallen to 29 from 34 in 2005.
The figure for local agricultural groups in the latest poll remained little
changed at 31 prefectures, compared with 30 in 2005.
==Kyodo