Ishiba eyes dissolving Lower House in wake of possible no-confidence motion
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considering dissolving the House of Representatives and holding a snap election if the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) submits a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet, government and ruling party sources said Tuesday.
Ishiba is apparently sending a warning to the CDP at a time when battles between the ruling and opposition camps are intensifying ahead of the June 22 end of the current ordinary session of the Diet, or Japan's parliament, and the subsequent House of Councilors election this summer.
Since the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition currently lacks a majority in the Lower House, a senior government official said, "Dissolving (the Lower House) would be the only option, as a no-confidence motion, if submitted, is expected to be approved (in that chamber)."
Ishiba has repeatedly told his aides that he would dissolve the chamber, according to the sources.
In the opposition camp, only the CDP has 51 or more Lower House members, a requirement for introducing a no-confidence motion.
If a no-confidence motion passes the Lower House, the prime minister would have to dissolve the chamber or resign, along with his Cabinet members.
Recent media polls suggest public support for the Ishiba Cabinet remains low but is showing signs of bottoming out. A senior administration official said the ruling bloc's share of seats in the Lower House is "unlikely to decrease further" if the next general election is held soon.
There are also political calculations that the ruling bloc would be able to criticize the CDP for creating a political vacuum by submitting a no-confidence motion amid a mountain of challenges, such as elevated rice prices and tariff negotiations with the United States.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Shunichi Suzuki, chair of the LDP's General Council, said that the prime minister "should confidently face the people's judgment" if a no-confidence motion is submitted.
The same day, CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda told a party meeting that he will make "an appropriate decision at the appropriate time."
Some in the CDP are concerned about the party's sluggish approval ratings and slow preparations for the next general election.
A CDP member who has served as a Cabinet minister said the party's current leadership is unlikely to submit a no-confidence motion, citing its recent deal with the ruling coalition on the pension reform bill.
Meanwhile, others in the CDP are calling for a tougher stance against the administration in the lead-up to the Upper House election. CDP heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa told reporters that the party "would not be qualified as the leading opposition party if it is shaken by threats."
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