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Japanese PM dissolves parliament | Japanese PM dissolves parliament |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso has apologised to legislators of his ruling party, after dissolving parliament to hold an early election for 30 August. | |
He apologised for a series of defeats his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has suffered in local elections, including in the key Tokyo municipality. | |
Opinion polls suggest the LDP could lose heavily to the opposition Democratic Party (DPJ) in the election. | |
A DPJ victory would end five decades of almost uninterrupted rule by the LDP. | |
''Although we received lots of support from party members and supporters in a series of local elections, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, we unfortunately failed to achieve our initial targets,'' Mr Aso told LDP legislators in a televised speech. | |
''I apologize for that once again.'' | |
On Tuesday morning, his cabinet gave its formal backing to Mr Aso's plan to dissolve parliament and hold a general election. | |
Japan is in a deep recession and correspondents say that at times the prime minister has appeared indecisive. | Japan is in a deep recession and correspondents say that at times the prime minister has appeared indecisive. |
ASO'S KEY MOMENTS Sept 2008: Confirmed as PMNov 2008: Causes outrage by saying doctors lack common senseNov 2008: Alienates pensioners - a key constituency - by saying they "just eat and drink and make no effort"Feb 2009: Economics minister says Japan facing worst economic crisis since WWII April 2009: Introduces stimulus package after months of delayJuly 2009: Tokyo election loss - fourth in recent weeks. DPJ has at least 12 percentage point lead in opinion polls Profile: Taro Aso Japanese PM fights for survival | ASO'S KEY MOMENTS Sept 2008: Confirmed as PMNov 2008: Causes outrage by saying doctors lack common senseNov 2008: Alienates pensioners - a key constituency - by saying they "just eat and drink and make no effort"Feb 2009: Economics minister says Japan facing worst economic crisis since WWII April 2009: Introduces stimulus package after months of delayJuly 2009: Tokyo election loss - fourth in recent weeks. DPJ has at least 12 percentage point lead in opinion polls Profile: Taro Aso Japanese PM fights for survival |
Last week, Mr Aso survived a no-confidence motion put forward by the opposition in the lower house. But the upper house, which is dominated by the opposition, passed a similar motion. | Last week, Mr Aso survived a no-confidence motion put forward by the opposition in the lower house. But the upper house, which is dominated by the opposition, passed a similar motion. |
Mr Aso's position had already been weakened when the LDP lost control of Tokyo city council in elections on 12 July. | Mr Aso's position had already been weakened when the LDP lost control of Tokyo city council in elections on 12 July. |
LDP rebels had sought to remove him before he could dissolve parliament, believing he was leading them to a historic defeat. | LDP rebels had sought to remove him before he could dissolve parliament, believing he was leading them to a historic defeat. |
Polls published by the Asahi and Mainichi newspapers on Monday suggested that support for Mr Aso had continued to decline since previous surveys last month. | Polls published by the Asahi and Mainichi newspapers on Monday suggested that support for Mr Aso had continued to decline since previous surveys last month. |
They showed him trailing Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama. | They showed him trailing Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama. |
Correspondents say the Democratic Party favours more independence from the US, a greater Japanese contribution to peacekeeping missions, and a smaller role for government. | Correspondents say the Democratic Party favours more independence from the US, a greater Japanese contribution to peacekeeping missions, and a smaller role for government. |
Mr Aso is the fourth prime minister since the party won the last election to the lower house of parliament in 2005. | Mr Aso is the fourth prime minister since the party won the last election to the lower house of parliament in 2005. |