TOKYO (AP) – New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday dissolved the House of Representatives and set a snap general election for Oct. 27, urging people to have faith in the ruling party’s policies amid criticism that the vote was too early. .
Ishiba took office last week following the resignation of Fumio Kishida, who led the Liberal Democratic Party for three years amid corruption scandals.
Mr. Ishiba said he would like to hold an early election so that his party can secure a majority in the more powerful of the two houses, the Lower House, before the celebratory mood fades.
The move has been criticized for prioritizing elections over policy and allowing little debate. However, Japan’s opposition parties remain too fragmented to oust the ruling party, which has held power almost uninterrupted since the end of the war, from power.
Ishiba announced his election plans even before he won the party leadership and became prime minister. The Cabinet has officially announced the election date and announced that campaigning will begin next Tuesday.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Ishiba promised to confront voters head-on in order to gain their understanding and restore trust.
Ishiba said, “Politics cannot move forward without the understanding and sympathy of the people.”
The prime minister, who is scheduled to fly to Laos on Thursday to make his diplomatic debut at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, reiterated his commitment to balance diplomacy and defense to contribute to peace and stability in the region.
According to Japanese media, Ishiba’s approval rating among the public when he first became prime minister was just under 50%, the lowest level for a new leader.
There is a growing belief that he has put off many of the proposals he had previously advocated to avoid creating controversy before the election.
In his first statement of position in Congress on Friday, he proposed the goal of establishing a stronger regional military framework and a more equal U.S.-Japan security alliance, the choice of separate surnames for married couples, and other issues opposed by conservatives within the ruling party. I didn’t touch on the issue. .
Ishiba said on Wednesday that he was working over time to find broad consensus on his ideas within the party. He does not belong to a faction led or controlled by party stalwarts, which some experts say could destabilize his tenure as leader.
None of his cabinet members come from the faction of the late leader Shinzo Abe, who is said to have been involved in damaging scandals. He has also indicated that he will not support some pro-Abe politicians in the next election to demonstrate his determination to pursue cleaner politics. Opponents have said that the measures are “still too lenient,” but Ishiba has faced opposition from within the party, saying they are too harsh.
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