TOKYO: Japan’s incoming prime minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to call a snap election for October 27, local media reported on Monday.
Ishiba, 67, won the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Tuesday and is likely to be sworn in as prime minister on October 1. Shigeru Ishiba is finalizing plans to dissolve the country’s Parliament on October 9 ahead of elections on October 27, NHK and four main national newspapers reported, without quoting sources.
On September 27, he stated that he wanted to call an election to shore up his mandate immediately but did not provide more details.
Ishiba, a former minister for defence, replaced the outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan about uninterrupted for decades.
The PM tendered resignation in the wake of a damaging party slush fund scandal, which added to his disapproval among voters angry at increasing prices.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei has shared average tumbled over 4 per cent on September 30 in reaction to a sharply stronger yen following Ishiba, a perceived monetary policy hawk, won the contest to become the nation’s leader.
Ishiba will fill key party posts on September 30 followed by a new Cabinet the day after as he attempts to unite his political party following one of its closest-ever leadership races and ahead of general polls.
In a TV interview Ishiba did not discuss his Cabinet appointments, but said he may call a general election in October.
