Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has dissolved Japan’s House of Representatives. <br /><br />It followed his calling a snap general election in a bid to maintain his hold on power.<br /><br />Abe set Oct 22 as the day of the vote at an extraordinary session. without making a policy speech and with no press conference afterward.<br /><br />The timing of the election, official campaigning for which will start on Oct 10, suggests the premier’s primary goal is to take advantage of a perceived weakness and lack of preparation in the opposition parties. However they have rallied together in a major reorganization aimed at taking power. <br /><br />The main opposition Democratic Party has put a plan to party executives that will effectively see it merge with the charismatic former Mayor of Tokyo’s brand-new Kibo no party to mount a united challenge to the Abe-led ruling coalition nationwide.<br />
