Japan’s PM calls general election
Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Friday dissolved the lower house of parliament and called a general election for November 9.
Mr Koizumi wants to secure support for his economic reform programme. Voters will now have the opportunity to judge him on promises made in April 2001 to overhaul Japan’s ailing economy.
“In the election, we want to work hard to win people’s recognition that the LDP has changed and become a party of reform in order to obtain people’s trust in this new era,” Koizumi told Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) politicians.
The House of Representatives was dissolved Friday after an edict, signed by Emperor Akihito and approved by the government, was delivered to the chamber.
The Japanese PM is solely empowered to dissolve the 480-seat lower house. The upper house always completes its three-year term. The lower chamber was dissolved nine months prior to its end of term.
The Japanese premier admitted he was staking his conservative administration on the outcome of the election.
“We must push ahead with reforms as a stable force,” he said.
Official campaigning for November 9 election will start on October 28,
Takenori Kanzaki, leader of the New Komei party, a partner in the ruling coalition, said his party was preparing for a “decisive battle.”
“This is going to be a cut-throat battle on which every party stakes its fate,” Kanzaki said.
