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▼ Japan PM Kishida Rules Out Lower House Dissolution During Diet Session
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday ruled out dissolving the lower house during the ongoing Diet session through next week, after an opposition party voiced readiness to submit a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet.
His government's role is to "address challenges that have been postponed to date," and based on that view, "I am not thinking about dissolving the House of Representatives by the end of the current parliamentary session," Kishida told reporters.
Some political experts say Kishida may dissolve the lower house later this year after reshuffling his Cabinet -- something former prime ministers have often done in the past to freshen up the image of their governments.
Earlier in the day, the main opposition party expressed eagerness to submit a no-confidence motion against Kishida's Cabinet on Friday.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has protested against various government policies, including a bill to secure funds to bolster Japan's defense capabilities.
The planned move by the opposition bloc is not an uncommon one to be made during the run-up to the closing of regular parliamentary sessions, typically convened in January, and it is almost certain to be voted down by the ruling majority.
But the decision taken by the opposition party drew attention as it could prompt Kishida to dissolve the lower house soon to seek a new public mandate for his government, with approval ratings for his Cabinet having picked up.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is planning to table a motion to the lower house after a plenary session of the House of Councillors, or upper house, on Friday when a series of key bills are slated to be cleared, sources close to the matter said.
Speaking at a meeting on Thursday with other officials about the timing of the submission, Kenta Izumi, the party's head, lambasted Kishida, saying he has "ignored the lives of the people" and that he has failed to be fully accountable for his policies in parliament.
Kishida told reporters on Friday that he has asked ruling lawmakers to vote down the motion.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Kishida said he would decide when to dissolve the lower house after assessing "various circumstances," a reversal of his previous mantra that he was "not considering" calling a general election "for now."
Meanwhile, Kishida, who leads the Liberal Democratic Party, declined to comment on whether the submission of a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet could be a pretext to dissolve the lower house.
Several senior LDP lawmakers argued that the opposition party's move could serve as a reason for Kishida to dissolve the lower house.
Among the opposition camp, the Japanese Communist Party is expected to vote in favor of the motion, but two relatively conservative forces within the bloc -- the Japan Innovation Party and the Democratic Party for the People -- are likely to oppose it, lawmakers said.
The current four-year terms for lower house members expire in October 2025 unless Kishida dissolves the chamber. Under Japan's Constitution, the prime minister has the authority to decide whether to dissolve the lower house.
Kishida is believed to be keen to cement his political power base by achieving a victory in a snap election before his term as LDP president ends in September next year, when he is expected to seek re-election in the leadership race.
Support for his Cabinet, however, could slip again due to a growing backlash from the public about a series of problems related to "My Number" identification cards, sparking concern over privacy violations.
The leakage of private photos involving Kishida and his son, taken at the prime minister's official residence, has been labeled by critics as unprofessional, curbing his popularity and causing some ruling lawmakers to object to an early dissolution.
In another development at parliament on Thursday, controversial bills, including one aimed at promoting better public understanding of the LGBT community, were passed by committees in the upper house. The bills are set to be enacted on Friday.
His government's role is to "address challenges that have been postponed to date," and based on that view, "I am not thinking about dissolving the House of Representatives by the end of the current parliamentary session," Kishida told reporters.
Some political experts say Kishida may dissolve the lower house later this year after reshuffling his Cabinet -- something former prime ministers have often done in the past to freshen up the image of their governments.
Earlier in the day, the main opposition party expressed eagerness to submit a no-confidence motion against Kishida's Cabinet on Friday.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has protested against various government policies, including a bill to secure funds to bolster Japan's defense capabilities.
The planned move by the opposition bloc is not an uncommon one to be made during the run-up to the closing of regular parliamentary sessions, typically convened in January, and it is almost certain to be voted down by the ruling majority.
But the decision taken by the opposition party drew attention as it could prompt Kishida to dissolve the lower house soon to seek a new public mandate for his government, with approval ratings for his Cabinet having picked up.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is planning to table a motion to the lower house after a plenary session of the House of Councillors, or upper house, on Friday when a series of key bills are slated to be cleared, sources close to the matter said.
Speaking at a meeting on Thursday with other officials about the timing of the submission, Kenta Izumi, the party's head, lambasted Kishida, saying he has "ignored the lives of the people" and that he has failed to be fully accountable for his policies in parliament.
Kishida told reporters on Friday that he has asked ruling lawmakers to vote down the motion.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Kishida said he would decide when to dissolve the lower house after assessing "various circumstances," a reversal of his previous mantra that he was "not considering" calling a general election "for now."
Meanwhile, Kishida, who leads the Liberal Democratic Party, declined to comment on whether the submission of a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet could be a pretext to dissolve the lower house.
Several senior LDP lawmakers argued that the opposition party's move could serve as a reason for Kishida to dissolve the lower house.
Among the opposition camp, the Japanese Communist Party is expected to vote in favor of the motion, but two relatively conservative forces within the bloc -- the Japan Innovation Party and the Democratic Party for the People -- are likely to oppose it, lawmakers said.
The current four-year terms for lower house members expire in October 2025 unless Kishida dissolves the chamber. Under Japan's Constitution, the prime minister has the authority to decide whether to dissolve the lower house.
Kishida is believed to be keen to cement his political power base by achieving a victory in a snap election before his term as LDP president ends in September next year, when he is expected to seek re-election in the leadership race.
Support for his Cabinet, however, could slip again due to a growing backlash from the public about a series of problems related to "My Number" identification cards, sparking concern over privacy violations.
The leakage of private photos involving Kishida and his son, taken at the prime minister's official residence, has been labeled by critics as unprofessional, curbing his popularity and causing some ruling lawmakers to object to an early dissolution.
In another development at parliament on Thursday, controversial bills, including one aimed at promoting better public understanding of the LGBT community, were passed by committees in the upper house. The bills are set to be enacted on Friday.
- June 15, 2023
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