Public opinion polls showed Sunday that around 60 percent of voters have high hopes for Japan's Prime Minister Elect Naoto Kan.

According to a survey conducted by The Asahi Shimbun, 59 percent of respondents said they have high hopes for Kan, compared with 33 percent for those who do not.

Separately, The Mainichi Shimbun poll produced similar results, with 63 percent saying they have positive expectations for Kan, compared with 37 percent for those who do not do so.

With regards to which party they will vote for, the Asahi survey showed that 33 percent respondents will vote for Kan's ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the upper house election scheduled for July, up by 5 percentage points from the previous poll conducted shortly after Hatoyama's announcement of resignation.

While The Mainichi survey said that 34 percent will vote for the DPJ in the upper house election, up by 12 percentage points from the previous poll survey conducted in late May before Hatoyama's resignation announcement.

In the latest poll conducted by Kyodo News on Friday and Saturday, support rate for the DPJ rose to 36.1 percent, up by 15. 6 percentage points from the previous survey in late May.

Kan was elected as Japan's new prime minister in the two- chamber Diet two days after Hatoyama's resignation. He is expected to formally assume the premiership Tuesday, when his cabinet will also be launched.