Majority of Japanese opposed to Abe’s plan to call snap election: Poll
Over 60 per cent of Japanese are opposed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s reported plan to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap general election, according to a recent survey by Japan’s Kyodo News. According to the survey conducted over the weekend by Kyodo News, 64.3 per cent of the respondents said they do not support the prime minister’s reported plan to call a snap election, while 23.7 per cent expressed support. Meanwhile, 27.0 per cent said they would still vote for Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the possible general election, eight per cent said they would vote for the main opposition Democratic Party, while 42.2 per cent said they have not made their decision yet.
Altogether 78.8 per cent of the respondents said they are not satisfied with the government’s explanation on the recent favoritism scandals implicating the Prime Minister and school operator Moritomo Gakuen and Kake Educational Institution, while only 13.8 per cent said the opposite.
Abe’s cabinet has formally announced the ruling coalition’s plan to convene an extraordinary Diet session on September 28, the outset of which will see Abe dissolve the lower house for a snap election, according to local reports.
The move, however, has drawn staunch criticism from opposition parties, which accused the prime minister of trying to stay in power while suppressing parliamentary debate on a number of contentious issues, including the favoritism scandals, by calling a snap election without making a policy speech.
Abe has been under fire for his connection with nationalist private school operator Moritomo Gakuen, which purchased a piece of state-owned land in Osaka for only a fraction of the market price.