Sep 28 (Japan Times) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the House of Representatives on Thursday, calling a general election in a bid to maintain his hold on power, while opposition parties rallied together in a major reorganization aimed at giving the administration a challenge at the polls.
Abe dissolved the Lower House and set an Oct. 22 election as soon as it convened at noon for an extraordinary session, without making a policy speech and without a plan to hold a news conference afterward.
The timing of the election, official campaigning for which will start on Oct. 10, suggests Abe's primary goal is to take advantage of perceived weakness and lack of preparation in the opposition.
The main opposition Democratic Party has recently been in disarray, while a new party with popular Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at its helm was established just this week.
But Thursday morning, in the hours ahead of the dissolution of the House of Representatives, DP leader Seiji Maehara put forward a plan to party executives that will effectively see it merge with Koike's new Kibo no To (Party of Hope) to mount a united challenge to the Abe-led ruling coalition nationwide.
Explaining Monday his decision to call a general election, Abe said a vote is needed now to secure a fresh mandate for his decision to change the way the government will use future tax revenue, as well as its handling of the recent tensions around North Korea.
But he was no doubt aware that the longer he left the election --- which legally could be held no later than December next year --- the greater number of candidates would likely be fielded nationwide by Koike's emerging party.
Koike and the 14 founding Diet lawmakers of her party promised Wednesday to "unshackle" Japanese politics from vested interests through "reform conservatism."
On its own, the party was planning to put up about 100 candidates nationwide, too few to bring about a change of government even if it performs well.
Source: ANNnewsCH
