TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, seeking to soothe voter outrage over political corruption that contributed to a devastating election loss over the weekend, sacked his scandal-tainted farm minister.

Politicians and analysts said Wednesday's dismissal came too late to help improve the image of Abe -- who has vowed to stay on despite the drubbing that lost his coalition its majority in Japan's upper house.

But with no appealing candidates to replace him and polls showing public opinion split on whether he should go, the wounded leader looked likely to limp along for now.

Abe also has the backing of a huge coalition majority in the more powerful lower house of Japan's parliament, as long as he can keep his party on side.

Abe accepted the resignation of Agriculture Minister Norihiko Akagi, who had been dogged by media reports over discrepancies in his political funding records since he was appointed in June, following the suicide of his predecessor after another scandal.

"There were various reports about me in the media and this affected the election," Akagi told reporters. "It is undeniable that this was one reason for the defeat of the ruling coalition.

"I apologise deeply."

Abe had come under fire during the election campaign for defending Akagi and other cabinet members who made missteps, and some lawmakers from his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said his move now was ill-timed.

"This is just another negative action," Yoichi Masuzoe, an outspoken LDP upper house lawmaker told reporters.

"A cabinet reshuffle has already been decided, so why do this beforehand?" he said. "The prime minister and people around him have lost the ability to make common-sense decisions."

COLD COMFORT

Criticised for packing his first cabinet with inexperienced cronies, Abe has pledged a new line-up but given no schedule.

Analysts, too, doubted he would benefit from the sacking.

"It's too late," said Toru Umemoto, a foreign exchange strategist for Barclays Capital. "It's reactive, not proactive."

The prime minister may, however, take some comfort from the fact that his support rates haven't plunged.

About 47 percent of respondents to a poll by the liberal Asahi newspaper said Abe should resign, while 40 percent wanted him to stay. The conservative Yomiuri newspaper found 44 percent supported Abe while 45 percent said he should go.

Figures for Abe's support rate ranged from 26 percent in the Asahi survey -- the lowest since he took office in September -- to 32 percent in the Yomiuri poll, down about five points.

"Abe made the decision to stay knowing his support rates would fall," said independent political commentator Hirotaka Futatsuki. "Now the question is how to raise them. He will try to do that with an attractive cabinet reshuffle."

The 52-year-old Abe took office 10 months ago promising to revise Japan's pacifist constitution and restore traditional values -- priorities that now appear out of sync with voters' concerns about pocket-book issues such as pensions.

SUCCESSOR SHORTAGE

Perhaps even more telling was a Nikkei survey showing likely LDP successors to Abe have even less support among voters.

The main opposition leader, Ichiro Ozawa of the Democratic Party, topped a list of politicians seen by voters as suitable prime ministers, but with just 18 percent compared to 14 percent for Abe.

Abe's predecessor, the charismatic Junichiro Koizumi, got 12 percent, but many analysts dismissed the notion that he might be tempted to make a comeback.

"I think the chance is zero," Futatsuki said.

Outspoken hawkish Foreign Minister Taro Aso, long considered a frontrunner to replace Abe, got just 5 percent, as did former chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda, a dovish rival. Former finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki had 2 percent support.

"If Abe says he won't quit, no one can force him to go," Futatsuki said. "They really have no alternatives."

(Additional reporting by Isabel Reynolds, George Nishiyama and Elaine Lies)