Japan: Shigeru Ishiba Announces Snap Polls on Oct. 27

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Facts

  • Shigeru Ishiba — who was Friday elected leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is set to be sworn in as prime minister Tuesday — has announced snap polls on Oct. 27.[1][2]
  • Dissolving Japan's Lower House, Ishiba reportedly said Monday that it was important for the new administration 'to be judged by the people as soon as possible.'[3][4]
  • He also announced the executive lineup of his incoming administration and named former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide the LDP's vice president.[5]
  • Ishiba has signed a deal with Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner. Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that campaigning for the polls will begin on Oct. 15.[6][4]
  • During his campaign, Ishiba had proposed to revise Japan's constitution, enact a law on national security, and create 'an Asian version of NATO.'[7]
  • Reacting to Ishiba's election, Japan's stock market plunged over 4% and the yen strengthened to 142.52 against the dollar on Monday.[8]

Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]Guardian, [3]The Japan Times, [4]Japan, [5]NHK (a), [6]NHK (b), [7]Hankyoreh and [8]CNBC.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The Japan Times and Al Jazeera. 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 yet, 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.
  • Narrative B, as provided by BBC News and Deccan Herald. Ishiba has taken over the reins of a scandal-plagued party with dwindling public support. He is poised to lead a country facing regional tensions, a severe cost-of-living crisis, and a falling birth rate. Yet, by radically scaling back some of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s reflationary policy, the self-confessed lone wolf can revive his party's fortunes and establish a more assertive Japan that can reduce its reliance on the US for its defense.

Predictions