Japan PM Fukuda gives no clue on snap poll

Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, plagued by sagging public support, gave no clue on Saturday as to whether he would call an early general election.

"I understand there are various opinions (within the Democratic Party)," Fukuda told reporters travelling with him on a two-day visit to Moscow.

"There are various opinions within the LDP and there are also various public opinions."

Opposition Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa has made no secret of wanting to force a snap election for the lower house in the hope of ousting Fukuda's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

No election need be held until September 2009, but some pundits say the prime minister could be forced to call an earlier poll to try to break ongoing political gridlock.

"The market would like to see an early election," said Takahide Kiuchi, chief economist at Nomura Securities.

Fukuda has said before that he has no plans to reshuffle his cabinet before hosting the Group of Eight summit on July 7-9.

But his popularity is in decline over doubts about his leadership as he struggles to pass legislation through a divided parliament, where the opposition bloc controls the upper house and can delay bills.

The gridlock in parliament has prevented the extension of a controversial gasoline tax that expired on March 31, pleasing consumers as petrol prices fell by up to 25 yen (24 cents) per litre but threatening to leave a big hole in government revenues.

($1=106.19 Yen)