■ Narrow choice

Komeito, on the other hand, is opposed to dissolving the lower house before the end
of the year and has recently conveyed its position to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Komeito’s power base, religious organization Soka Gakkai, has been virtually inactive
due to the novel coronavirus epidemic, and under the circumstances the party is “far
from ready for the election,” according to a party executive.

Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said at a press conference Tuesday, “The priority
for politics now is to establish a system that will prevent the next wave [of the
epidemic].”

In fact, the virus is the most uncertain factor in dissolving the lower house within this
year. The second wave of infections is feared to most likely come in the autumn and
into the end of the year. If the lower house is dissolved in the face of efforts to
contain the coronavirus, the administration may face severe criticism.

But, Komeito places importance on the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election

scheduled for next summer and is reluctant to dissolve the lower house in the first
half of next year, too.

Abe’s close ally, Akira Amari, the chairperson of LDP’s Research Commission on the
Tax System, said in an interview with Jiji Press on June 18, “The possibility of
[dissolution] together with economic stimulus measures after autumn is not zero.”

Behind those remarks is the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,
which had been scheduled for July-September. The postponement apparently gave
more time to the political schedule for the latter half of this year. In the second
supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, a reserve fund of ¥10 trillion has
been secured, and a senior member of the Diet Affairs Committee said, “It had
become unnecessary to make a supplementary budget within the rest of the year any
more.”

Furthermore, the LDP intends to use the opportunity to maintain its centripetal force
in the face of adverse circumstances, such as the alleged violation of the Public
Offices Election Law by former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife Anri,
both of whom are Diet members.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on an online TV program Saturday, “Politicians live
in a kind of war and are always aware of dissolution.”

Abe’s close ally, Akira Amari, the chairperson of LDP’s Research Commission on the
Tax System, said in an interview with Jiji Press on June 18, “The possibility of
[dissolution] together with economic stimulus measures after autumn is not zero.”
Behind those remarks is the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,
which had been scheduled for July-September. The postponement apparently gave
more time to the political schedule for the latter half of this year. In the second
supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, a reserve fund of ¥10 trillion has
been secured, and a senior member of the Diet Affairs Committee said, “It had
become unnecessary to make a supplementary budget within the rest of the year any
more.”

Furthermore, the LDP intends to use the opportunity to maintain its centripetal force
in the face of adverse circumstances, such as the alleged violation of the Public
Offices Election Law by former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife Anri,
both of whom are Diet members.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on an online TV program Saturday, “Politicians live
in a kind of war and are always aware of dissolution.”