The Crescent-News « Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Aso disolves parliament: Prime Minister Taro Aso dissolved the powerful lower house of Japan’s parlia- ment Tuesday and vowed his divided rul- ing party will make a new start in national elections next month despite forecasts it may lose the gp it has held on the nation for most of the past 55 years. Aso, who had ‘until October at the latest to disband parliament, had been under increasing pressure to exercise that power because of his dwindling ee ratings and eee gridlock with the opposition that as stymied business in parliament. After parliament was dissolved today, he slammed the oppo- sition, led by the Democratic Party of Japan, as having no substantive policies of its own and trying merely to capitalize on his unpopularity. ; Aso