By Tomoyuki Tachikawa,
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday ruled out dissolving the lower house of the Diet during the ongoing parliamentary session through next week, after the main opposition party looked set to submit a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet.
Kishida told reporters his government's role is to "address challenges that have been postponed to date" and that, based on that view, "I am not thinking about dissolving the House of Representatives by the end of the current parliamentary session."
Some political experts say Kishida may dissolve the lower house in the autumn after reshuffling his Cabinet -- something former prime ministers have often done in the past to freshen up the image of their governments.
The timing of a lower house dissolution could be delayed further unless the support rate for his Cabinet shows signs of increasing, as he has faced criticism from both opposition parties and voters on several issues, the experts added.
Earlier in the day, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan expressed eagerness to submit a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet on Friday, protesting against government policies such as a bill to secure funds to bolster the country's defense capabilities.
The planned move by the opposition bloc is not uncommon 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.
The decision taken by the opposition party, however, 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.
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 failed to fully account for his policies in parliament.
Kishida said Thursday that he has asked ruling lawmakers to vote down the motion, with Izumi telling Kyodo News later in the day, "We need to remain prepared for an early dissolution, even though it will not occur within this Diet session."
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.
Senior LDP lawmakers argued that the opposition party's move could serve as a reason for dissolution.
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.
The present 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 he seeks re-election as LDP president when his current term ends in September next year.
But support for his Cabinet, which recovered after Kishida hosted the Group of Seven summit in his constituency of Hiroshima, could slip again due to a growing backlash from the public about a string of problems related to "My Number" identification cards, which sparked 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.
A lawmaker said on the condition of anonymity that the outcome of a recent survey carried out by the LDP suggested that the party might lose a significant number of seats in the lower house if a general election were to be held in the near future.
Another factor that dissuaded Kishida from dissolving the lower house at an early date may be the lack of progress in negotiations between the LDP and its coalition ally, Komeito, to coordinate their candidates in electoral districts, pundits said.
Komeito has decided it will not recommend LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies in Tokyo, as the centrist party has become irritated by the conservative party's disregard for the junior partner's desire to secure a seat in a district in the capital.
The two parties are arranging talks to sign an agreement later this month on their electoral cooperation, a lawmaker said.
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.
Related coverage:
Japan's opposition parties rap PM over dissolving lower house stance
PM Kishida to decide snap election timing by assessing circumstances
Japanese opposition party mulls no-confidence motion against Kishida
