Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference at his official residence in Tokyo in this Nov. 18, 2014, photo. Abe called a snap election for December and put off a sales tax hike planned for next year until 2017, vowing to step down if his strategy falls flat.TOKYO – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house of Japan’s parliament Friday, paving the way for a general election next month.
The move is widely seen as an attempt by Abe to shore up support for his government after a series of finance-related scandals hit his newly named Cabinet this fall.
His ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has been in power for most of the post-World War II era, may lose some seats but is likely to retain a solid majority with its coalition partner in the 480-seat lower house.
The election, expected to be set for Dec. 14, follows Abe’s decision this week to postpone a planned increase in the consumption tax after the economy slipped into recession. He is portraying the election as a referendum on his economic revitalization policies, known as Abenomics, and the postponing of the tax increase.
The snap poll has puzzled many voters, as Abe has been prime minister for only about two years.