Japan: Shigeru Ishiba Announces Snap Polls on Oct. 27
The Facts
Shigeru Ishiba — who was elected the leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday and is set to be sworn in as prime minister on Tuesday — has called a snap election on Oct. 27.
After announcing the dissolution of the Lower House at a press conference on Monday, Ishiba said, "It's important for the new administration to be judged by the people as soon as possible."
The Spin
It's the legal duty of a sitting prime minister to decide when parliament is to be dissolved and a general election held. But parliament hasn't declared Ishiba PM, making this announcement illegal. The decision to conduct general elections in less than a month has everything to do with Ishiba's quest to capitalize on his mandate and give the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party as little time as possible to prepare under Yoshihiko Noda.
Ishiba has taken over the reins of a scandal-plagued party with a dwindling public support. He is poised to lead a country facing regional tensions, a severe cost-of-living crisis, and a falling birthrate. Yet, by radically scaling back some of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s reflationary policy, the self-confessed lone wolf can lift his party's fortunes and establish a more assertive Japan that can reduce its reliance on the US for its defense.
