Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is set to dissolve the powerful House of Representatives to call a general election by the end of this year, sources close to the premier said.
Noda has deemed that the timing will soon be ideal as the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito are highly likely to cooperate with the government in ensuring a bill on special measures to issue deficit-covering bonds is passed into law as well as dealing with other key policy issues.
Moreover, Noda apparently believes it better to call a general election before the Japan Restoration Party, led by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, as well as former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and other forces attempting to form a “third political force” in the Diet are prepared for the election.
The sources said the prime minister may dissolve the lower chamber on Nov. 16 for a Dec. 9 poll at the earliest.
During almost an hour-long meeting at his official residence on the night of Nov. 11, Noda told ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary-General Azuma Koshiishi that he intends to call a lower house election by the end of this year.
However, since the DPJ could suffer a crushing defeat in the election, there are calls within the DPJ urging the prime minister to resign with his entire Cabinet before dissolving the powerful chamber.
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As such, there is a possibility that the prime minister will dissolve the lower house on Nov. 22 to hold a general election on Dec. 16, as had been demanded by the LDP.
In a TV Asahi program on Nov. 11, LDP President Shinzo Abe suggested that he will strongly urge Noda to dissolve the lower house during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session.
“Dec. 23 (Sunday) is the Emperor’s Birthday, so questions have been raised over whether an election should be held on such a day. It might be held on Dec. 24, which is a substitute holiday,” he said.
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Iori Mochizuki