The main opposition Democratic Party approved a proposal to effectively disband and merge with Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike’s new ‘Party of Hope’
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved his country’s lower house of parliament on Thursday for an October 22 general election, in a bid to maintain his hold on power. But a reorganisation of opposition parties under the leadership of popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike may complicate matters.
Abe dissolved the chamber as soon as it convened at noon for an extraordinary session, telling reporters later on Thursday he did so “having decided that we must obtain the public’s support and understanding to overcome the national crises of a declining birth rate and the threat from North Korea”.
But the timing of the election, campaigning for which will start on October 10, suggests the premier’s real goal is to give the opposition as little time as possible to mount a united challenge to the ruling coalition he has led for nearly five years.
In a sign Abe seeks to maintain rather than expand his hold on power, he said on Monday that the coalition of his Liberal Democratic Party and the smaller Komeito Party will only aim to secure a simple majority – at least 233 seats – following reforms that will shrink the chamber to a post-war low of 465 seats.
The ruling coalition currently holds 320 seats in the lower house, including the one occupied by the speaker.
Shortly after the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the main opposition Democratic Party approved a proposal by its leader Seiji Maehara to effectively disband and merge with the “Party of Hope” established this week.
“I hope you all understand the decision to choose substance over appearance,” Maehara told a meeting of party lawmakers. “We want to make Kibo no To [Party of Hope] bigger and achieve a change of power in this lower house election.”
Koike, formerly an LDP lawmaker, will lead the party from outside the Diet. She reiterated on Thursday she has no intention of quitting her current job to run for a lower house seat.
