Seventy percent of the Japanese public supports centre-left Prime Minister Naoto Kan's policy to make the country nuclear free in future but most people still want him to quit, a poll said Sunday.

The weekend survey conducted by Kyodo News agency showed 70.3 percent support Kan's policy of ending nuclear power while 66.9 percent think the unpopular prime minister should leave office by the end of August.

Kan said earlier this month that the country must gradually reduce its reliance on atomic power with the eventual goal of becoming nuclear-free, despite fears that power shortages could slow an already limping economy.

The premier, a one-time environmental activist, has said he wants to make clean energy sources a new "major pillar" of the energy mix of the world's third biggest economy, which remains an export powerhouse.