Abe leaves open possibility of snap election

July 22, 2019

Tokyo--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has left open the possibility of dissolving the House of Representatives for a snap election during his terms as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

"I'm not ruling out the option" of dissolving the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, Abe said on television Sunday night.

"Lower House members must always have a sense of tension," Abe stressed, speaking after the day's House of Councillors election.

"I have no plans at all" to serve a fourth straight three-year term as LDP president, he also said. Abe's current third term expires in September 2021.

Under the current rules, the LDP members cannot serve as its president for fourth terms in a row.

"I'll do what I must in the rest of my term," Abe said, citing the resolution of the issue of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea decades ago, negotiations to conclude a World War II peace treaty with Russia and fight against deflation.

Regarding his possible successors, Abe said, "There are many people who will succeed me."

The prime minister voiced a wish to convene an extraordinary Diet session "as soon as possible." The government and ruling coalition are considering holding a five-day session from Aug. 1.

Abe is expected to reshuffle the cabinet and the LDP's leadership team around the mid-September.

A focal point is whether Abe will retain Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, both of whom have consistently supported the prime minister since his second administration was launched in 2012.

Another key issue is whether to let Toshihiro Nikai continue serving as LDP secretary-general after working in the post for nearly three years.

Abe indicated that the government will raise the consumption tax rate to 10 pct from the current 8 pct in October this year as planned, saying, "I think (the tax hike) is necessary."

He also discussed a U.S.-proposed coalition to safeguard commercial shipping in the Middle East.

"Japan keeps good relations not only with the United States but with Iran," he said. "We want to play a role in ensuring calmness in the Strait of Hormuz." Jiji Press