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# World

Japan PM Abe dissolves lower house, calls snap election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament today, paving the way for a snap election that…

AP | Tokyo | September 28, 2017 10:20 am

Japan PM Abe dissolves lower house, calls snap election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Photo: AFP)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament today, paving the way for a snap election that is expected to be held October 22.

The speaker of the house, Tadamori Oshima, read the statement of dissolution.

Abe is widely seen as trying to reconsolidate his grip on power within the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party, so he can extend the term of his premiership next year. The dissolution of the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament comes more than a year before required by law.

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The ruling party, though, faces a growing challenge from a new party launched by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike this week. The Party of Hope has energized some voters, and is gaining renegade lawmakers from the main opposition party.

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# Opinion

Church and State-I

While Abe's death sent shockwaves throughout the world, this also revealed a dark side of Japanese politics as many lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are not only members but also patrons of the UC. This malaise has spread so deep that it has affected the lives of many common men as politicians patronise the UC and use the donation money on projects that go against the interests of the citizens and the nation.