Japan PM Ishiba to dissolve lower house for Oct 27 election

TOKYO: Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to dissolve the lower house of Japan's parliament on Wednesday for a snap election on Oct 27, defying opposition party criticism over his sudden rush to seek a fresh mandate, Kyodo News Agency reported.

Just eight days after taking office, Ishiba's move to dissolve the House of Representatives is the fastest by a postwar leader. His ruling Liberal Democratic Party, embroiled in a slush funds scandal, and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, control the 465-member chamber.

Ishiba's Cabinet approved the plan to dissolve the lower house Wednesday morning and will finalize the schedule for campaigning to start on Oct 15 and voting on Oct 27. The prime minister will hold a press conference later in the day.

The current term of lower house members ends in October 2025, by which time an election must be held. Under Japan's Constitution, prime ministers have the authority to dissolve the chamber at their discretion.

Ishiba previously said he would allow sufficient time for opposition leaders to pose questions to him in parliament. The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has been urging the government to draft an extra budget for the current fiscal year through next March to support recovery efforts in areas affected by an earthquake and heavy rain in central Japan.

Ishiba, prior to being elected prime minister, announced last month his intention to dissolve the lower house, prompting a backlash from opposition parties over what they saw as his about-face and disregard for the Constitution.

The previous general election was held in 2021, shortly after Fumio Kishida became prime minister.

-- BERNAMA

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