Japan’s new PM dissolves the lower house of parliament to set up a snap election

Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has dissolved the lower house of parliament to set up an Oct. 27 snap election. He asks people to trust the governing party’s policies even as critics say the vote comes far too soon. Ishiba took office last week as Fumio Kishida resigned after leading the governing Liberal Democratic Party for three years while it was dogged by corruption scandals. Ishiba seeks to secure a majority in the lower house, the more powerful of the two chambers, for his governing party before the congratulatory mood fades. That has been criticized for allowing little debate.