Kishida said he would refrain from prematurely dissolving the House of Commons; LDP presidential elections probably come first

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is unlikely to dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election before the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election this fall, according to government and ruling party sources. Kishida, who is also president of the LDP, is coordinating steps in this direction, and he has communicated his intentions to people around him.

Given the strong headwinds caused by the alleged violations of the Law on the Control of Political Funds by the LDP factions, Kishida plans to focus for now on creating a virtuous circle in the economy and restoring confidence in the politics. If re-elected as LDP president, he plans to carefully consider when to dissolve the lower house.

“For now, I want to focus on political reforms and other pressing issues,” Kishida told reporters at the prime minister’s office on Tuesday. “I don’t think about anything other than achieving results in those areas,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s comments indicate that during the current parliamentary session he will take all possible measures to adopt amendments to the Law on Control of Political Funds, while also focusing on economic policy and various diplomatic activities, including a summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized countries. His basic plan is not to dissolve the lower house, but he will make a final decision based on the situation in the final phase of the Diet session, which could be fluid.

Kishida’s term as LDP president expires at the end of September. He had considered dissolving the lower house for a general election before the LDP presidential election, hoping that the LDP’s victories in a general election would create momentum that would secure his re-election as party president.

However, the cabinet’s approval ratings have continued to languish, at just 26% in a nationwide Yomiuri Shimbun poll in May, and the LDP has lost a series of local elections, including three lower house by-elections in April and the governor’s election. Shizuoka Prefecture. race in May.

Komeito, the LDP’s youngest coalition partner, is also against the idea of ​​dissolving the lower house before the LDP presidential elections. Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi told reporters at the prime minister’s office on Tuesday that “the public’s distrust of politics remains deeply rooted.”

Japan’s Constitutional Democratic Party is considering filing a no-confidence vote against Kishida’s cabinet during the current parliamentary session. If it is tabled, the ruling parties are ready to reject it.

Kishida’s strategy is to boost his government by ensuring Japan can escape deflation by cutting income and other taxes and raising wages to boost consumption. these achievements.

However, if the low approval ratings continue beyond the summer, steps could be taken within the LDP to oust Kishida and find a new face for the elections. So it is difficult to predict whether Kishida will be re-elected.

If Kishida wins the presidential election, he is expected to decide on the timing of the dissolution of the House of Representatives after assessing the political situation until October next year, when the current term of the members of the Lower House expires. Factors to take into account include the preparation of the 2025 budget at the end of this year and the elections for the House of Councilors next summer.