Tokyo - The disapproval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's cabinet hit the second-worst level since 1949 as many voters expressed loss of confidence in his leadership, opinion polls conducted by Japanese newspapers said Monday.

The worst was recorded at 75 per cent in 2001, when former prime minister Yoshiro Mori managed the cabinet, and it dissolved two months later.

The polls showed 19 per cent of surveyed voters supported Aso's cabinet mainly because the prime minister was a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has controlled the Japanese government for more than 50 years after the war.

About 33 per cent of people surveyed by the Mainichi Shimbun said they could no longer expect strong leadership from Aso, up 6 points from the previous survey conducted in December, while 51 per cent surveyed by the Nikkei said Aso lacks strong leadership.

The surveys showed that Aso lost support from voters with his cash-handout policy as part of economic stimulus package and a plan to increase the consumption tax starting 2011, the Nikkei business daily said.

While Aso plans to distribute total of 2 trillion yen (22.54 billion dollars) in cash to all citizens to stimulate the nation's economy, 67 per cent of voters opposed the policy and even the LDP members doubt it would help the party gain public support, papers said.

The surveys showed that 29 per cent supported LDP, down 6 points, and 37 per cent approved the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, up 4 points.

Analysts say that the DPJ may have a chance of winning the majority in the next general elections. (dpa)