Japan’s new prime minister dissolves the lower house of parliament to hold early elections

TOKYO (AP) — New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba dissolved the lower house of parliament on Wednesday to call a snap election on Oct. 27. He urged people to trust the ruling party’s policies, even as critics said the vote came far too early.

Ishiba took office last week Fumio Kishida resigned after three years leading the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which was hit by corruption scandals.

With the early election, Ishiba wants to secure a majority for his ruling party in the lower house, the more powerful of the two chambers, before the congratulatory mood dies down.

The move was criticized for prioritizing an election over politics and allowing for little debate. But Japan’s opposition remains too fragmented to dislodge the ruling party from the power it has held almost continuously in the postwar period.

Ishiba announced his plans for an election even before he won the party leadership vote and became prime minister. His cabinet officially announced the election date and said the campaign would begin next Tuesday.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Ishiba promised to speak directly to voters to gain understanding and regain their trust.

“Without people’s understanding and empathy, politics will not move forward,” Ishiba said.

The prime minister, who will fly to Laos on Thursday to make his diplomatic debut at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, also reiterated that he would balance diplomacy and defense to contribute to peace and stability in the region.

Initial public approval ratings for Ishiba as prime minister were only about 50% or less, the lowest for a new leader, according to Japanese media.

He is increasingly seen to be backtracking on a number of proposals he previously supported in order to avoid sparking controversy before the election.

In his first political speech In parliament on Friday, he did not address his goal of creating a stronger regional military framework a more equal security alliance between Japan and the United Statesa double surname option for married couples and other issues opposed by conservatives within the ruling party.

Ishiba said on Wednesday that he was taking the time to build broad consensus within his party on his ideas. He is not affiliated with factions led and controlled by party heavyweights, which some experts say could make his tenure as party leader unstable.

None of his cabinet ministers are from the recent past Shinzo Abe’s faction that has been linked to harmful misconduct. He also plans not to support some members of Abe’s faction in the upcoming election to demonstrate his commitment to cleaner politics. Opponents said that was still too lax, but Ishiba is facing backlash within the party for being too strict.

___

Follow AP’s Asia Pacific coverage at