Japanese Prime Minister decides to dissolve parliament

Asahi Shimbun reported on November 13 that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has decided to dissolve parliament as early as November 16. Mr. Noda is expected to call for a general election on December 16 or January 20, 2013 at the latest.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda

Also according to a poll by Asahi Shimbun, the approval rating for the Japanese cabinet is at a record low of 18% while the disapproval rating has increased to more than 64%.

The move is to fulfill a pledge he made in August to opposition leaders that he would dissolve the House of Representatives soon in return for their support in passing a bill to double the 5% consumption tax by 2015, a prized policy goal of his.

Mr Noda hopes the election will be an opportunity to call for major economic reforms to ease opposition criticism of Japan's ruling Democratic Party (DPJ).

According to SGGP-M