TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s upcoming upper house election is set for July 20, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba decided not to extend the current parliamentary session, the Asahi newspaper reported on Friday, citing multiple unnamed administration officials.
Ishiba also has no plans to dissolve the lower house during the current session, which lasts through June 22, as the main opposition party is unlikely to submit a no-confidence motion against his cabinet, Asahi said.
With that, campaigning for the upper house election will begin on July 3, in line with statutory election schedules, Asahi reported.
The vote is key to the continuity of the Ishiba administration, after his ruling Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in the more powerful lower house in a snap election Ishiba called in October shortly after taking office.
Ishiba’s approval ratings have recently rebounded from record lows last month that were in part attributed to voters’ dissatisfaction with the government’s response to soaring rice prices.
A weekend poll conducted by public broadcaster NHK showed Ishiba’s cabinet approval rating climbing to 39%, up 6 points from 33% a month earlier.
(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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