July 30, 2010  Print Email | Japanese PM rules out elections this month
Priority is to implement the economic stimulus package
Posted by Agencies at 07:50 AM GMT on Mar 14, 2009 | TOKYO (AFP): Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso ruled out calling general elections this month, saying his priority was to implement the next economic stimulus package, local media reported Saturday.
"The time (to call elections) will come when the goverment has implemented the economic stimulus policy," Aso said in an interview with domestic media.
"The economy will not improve unless it has the right conditions," Jiji Press quoted him as saying.
These conditions required the current government to implement economic-boosting measures, including the state budget, Aso added.
Aso, who trails badly in opinion polls, has been under pressure to dissolve the lower house, and media have been watching closely to see if he will call snap elections after the budget for fiscal 2009 passes later this month.
Aso must dissolve the lower house and call elections by September, when the chamber's term expires.
"In any case, we have only half a year left" until the term ends, Aso said. "I will do it sometime during this period."
Aso Friday announced plans for a third stimulus package, expected to cost 20 trillion yen (200 billion dollars), to revive Asia's largest and the world's second-largest economy.
He is likely announce details of the latest package in time for a summit on the financial crisis, to be attended by world leaders in London on April 2.
Japan faces its worst recession of the post-war era, and the government has announced fresh spending, tax cuts and job-creation programmes to ease the pain.
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