A spokesman says Japan's ruling party will select a new leader to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan on August 29 if two key bills have passed parliament by then.

Party Secretary-General Katsuya Okada said Monday that parliament would likely vote the next day to confirm the new leader as Japan's sixth prime minister in five years. The ruling Democratic Party of Japan holds a solid majority in the lower house, where the prime minister is chosen.

Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda has been seen as the front-runner to secure the job. However, a popular former foreign minister, Seiji Maehara, was reported Monday to be preparing to run.

Mr. Kan has pledged to step down as soon as parliament approves a bill to issue new bonds and another to promote renewable energy. The opposition has agreed to let the bills go through.

Mr. Kan has been under pressure to resign because of widespread dissatisfaction with his government's handling of the response to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. A new poll released Sunday by the Kyodo news agency found his government's approval rating has fallen below 16 percent.