TOKYO — A surge of popularity for a freshly minted opposition party in Japan is making Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to call a snap election look riskier than initially thought.

Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament Thursday, setting the stage for an Oct. 22 vote.

The Party of Hope, launched earlier this week by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, may not dethrone Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party but analysts say it could put a dent in the LDP's majority. A major setback could derail Abe's presumed hope to extend his rule for three more years at a party leadership meeting next year.

Minutes after the lower house dissolution, Abe made a fiery speech to party members. He said he is seeking a public mandate on his tough diplomatic and defense policies to deal with escalating threats from North Korea, and that party members would have to relay his message to win voter support during the campaign.

"This election is about how we protect Japan, the people's lives and peaceful daily life," Abe said. "The election is about the future of our children."

Abe's decision to dissolve parliament is widely seen as an attempt to reconsolidate his hold on power within the LDP, after a series of scandals and missteps earlier this year. A big enough victory could help ensure his re-election as party leader in September 2018.

The move is not without risks, but analysts say the timing may be better now than later. The Democratic Party, the largest opposition group, is in disarray, and the sudden election gives the Party of Hope little time to organize candidates and a campaign strategy.

Media polls, though, show the new party off to a respectable start, though still trailing the LDP.

Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University's Japan Campus in Tokyo, called Koike's new party a game changer.

"I think it is really bad news for Abe," he said. "She doesn't actually have to win, but she has to inflict a bloody nose on Abe ... If her party does better than expected, expect the long knives to come out in the LDP, and Abe could be ushered to the exit."

Koike, at a news conference, denied speculation that she might run for parliament herself. "I will stay in the city and put my energy to lead Tokyo's preparations ahead of the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics," she said.

Still, a relatively good showing by her party could allow it to influence Abe on policies such as constitutional change, an issue both politicians have an interest in, said Stephen Nagy, a professor at International Christian University in Tokyo.

Working in Abe's favor, he said, are the LDP's nationwide electoral organization and his handling of North Korea, which has sent two missiles over Japan in recent tests. "Another missile test would likely put him in the limelight further, casting a shadow on the Party of Hope's policy credentials," Nagy said.

The Democratic Party, whose predecessor party held power in 2009-2012, is splintering, and many members have defected to Koike's party. Party leader Seiji Maehara said the Democrats would do whatever it takes to bring down the Abe government.

Lower house members all stood up and chanted "banzai" three times in a dissolution ritual, then rushed out of the assembly hall. The other chamber, the less-powerful upper house, will not be up for election but remain closed until parliament is reconvened after the vote.</s>Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (third from right), who is also ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader, raises hands with coalition Komeito Party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi atop of campaign van at Tokyo’s Shibuya district in Tokyo September 28, 2017. — Reuters picTOKYO, Sept 28 — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved parliament today, effectively kicking off a national election campaign where he faces an unexpected and formidable challenge from the popular governor of Tokyo.

Members of the lower house raised their arms and shouted “Banzai” three times — the Japanese equivalent of "three cheers" — after the speaker read out a letter officially dissolving the chamber.

Voters in the world's third-biggest economy will go to the polls on October 22, as Abe seeks a fresh popular mandate for his hardline stance on North Korea and a new tax plan.

“This is an election about how to protect the lives of people,” said the premier. “We have to cooperate with the international community as we face the threat from North Korea.”

Abe asked for public support for his “strong diplomacy”on Kim Jong-un’s regime, which has threatened to “sink” Japan into the sea and fired missiles over its northern Hokkaido island twice in the space of a month.

“We need to fight for our children’s future.”

Abe stunned Japan on Monday with a surprise call for a snap election, seeking to capitalise on a weak opposition and a boost in the polls, as voters welcome his hawkish policy toward Pyongyang.

But Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has upended Japanese politics in recent days, stealing Abe’s limelight with her newly launched “Party of Hope” that seeks to shake up the country’s lethargic political landscape.

lawmakers from a wide range of ideological backgrounds and has succeeded in unifying opposition to Abe, presenting Japanese voters with a credible alternative to the premier.

Japan’s main opposition Democratic Party later today decided not to run candidates in the election, effectively joining forces with Koike’s juggernaut.

For the moment, although Koike is leading the party, she is not running for a seat in parliament, preferring to concentrate on governing the world's most populous city in the run-up to the 2020 Olympic Games.

“I’ll focus my energy on Tokyo. Leading Tokyo will be a plus to the whole of Japan,” Koike told reporters.

But pundits say the charismatic former TV presenter, 65, could yet go all-in on her high-stakes gamble if she thought she could deflect criticism for ditching her current job after only a year.

“The party may gain some seats in the Tokyo area, but a risk for her is that voters may feel betrayed as they voted for her as Tokyo governor and now she is working in national politics,” Kensuke Takayasu, professor of political science at Seikei University, told AFP.

Surveys show that Koike’s gambit is starting to put pressure on Abe, 63, who until recently seemed to be a shoo-in for a fourth term at the helm.

Abe enjoyed a healthy lead in the polls of more than 30 points only a week ago but the gap appeared to have narrowed following Koike’s high-profile announcement.

A survey in the Mainichi Shimbun suggested that 29 per cent of voters would cast ballots for Abe’s conservative LDP, while 18 per cent would vote for the Party of Hope.

Polls also suggest there are a large number of undecided voters, giving some hope to Koike's party that it can bridge the gap.

Abe returned to power in December 2012 and has pushed a nationalist social agenda as well as his trademark “Abenomics” economic policy — big-spending and easy money — to end deflation and to kick-start the once world-beating economy.

The scion of a political dynasty, Abe had promised to achieve two-percent inflation and stable growth in two years, but nearly five years later, he has failed to deliver on those pledges.

He said on Monday he would use a planned hike in consumption tax from eight per cent to 10 per cent for new social spending, such as free early childhood education, while pushing back his pledges to restore the nation’s fiscal discipline.

Critics argue that Abe called the election to divert attention from an series of scandals in recent months that weighed on his popularity, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal — which the premier strongly denies.

The timing of the election, amid the North Korean crisis, has also faced questions, including from Koike, who said it created a “vacuum” at a time of national tension. — AFP</s>In a dramatic move sure to change the landscape of the nation’s politics, the center-left Democratic Party decided Thursday to effectively disband its Lower House caucus and join Kibo no To (Party of Hope), a new conservative party led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.

The effective sudden death of the nation’s largest opposition force could turn the Oct. 22 Lower House election into a two-way race between conservative forces: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and Kibo no To.

Public support for the DP has been dwindling for months, and the party was widely predicted to suffer a crushing defeat in the upcoming vote.

The proposal to shift allegiance to Koike’s movement, made by party president Seiji Maehara, was unanimously approved at a general meeting of DP lawmakers the same day. Under the plan, all DP candidates for the general election have been asked to abandon party membership and apply to join the official ticket of Kibo no To.

But it remains unclear how many DP applicants will be accepted by Kibo no To. During a TV interview on Wednesday, Koike, a right-leaning conservative, said her party will choose applicants from the DP after close consideration of their views on constitutional revision and security issues. The comment has been interpreted as indicating that Kibo no To will refuse to accept left-leaning DP lawmakers.

This means the powerful Lower House could be dominated by two major conservative parties after the Oct. 22 election, observers say.

“I made this proposal after thinking about what would realize a change in power again,” Maehara told DP lawmakers during the meeting. “We need to end Abe’s administration and create a two-party system.”

According to Maehara’s plan, the DP will give “full support” to Koike’s party in election campaigns, including financial support for former DP members running on the Kibo no To ticket.

Upper House DP members will retain their party membership and organizations.

How the DP’s Upper House caucus and Kibo no To will coordinate their policy platforms before the Lower House election has not yet been decided.

Ruling-party lawmakers were quick to criticize Maehara’s move as political maneuvering that failed to secure agreement with Kibo no To on key policy points.

“What’s really important is not the combination of parties, but what policy proposals they advocate. Voters are interested in that point and will judge accordingly” in the election, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference Thursday.

Koike’s party, which was just launched on Monday, has so far advocated few concrete policy proposals in public, except for freezing the planned consumption tax hike planned for October 2019 and abandoning nuclear power at some point in the future.

Maehara has argued that revenues from the tax hike should be used for free education and day care services for children.

He also said 2015 security laws, which expanded the legal scope of Japan’s support for the U.S. military in times of crisis, are unconstitutional. But Koike has argued that the laws are needed to cope with the North Korean military threat.

During a Thursday news conference, Maehara said he has reached agreement with Koike on some policy issues and is optimistic about forming consensus on security issues. He didn’t offer details.

A senior DP member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the focus of Maehara’s decision was to beat the LDP by avoiding overlap between candidates from the DP and Kibo no To in several constituencies.

“Media people keep talking about ideals and policy proposals of a party in their reports. But this is about election tactics in fielding candidates,” the DP lawmaker said.

Indeed, Abe apparently chose to dissolve the Lower House on Thursday to take advantage of the weak, disorganized opposition parties.

Koike was believed to still be in the early stages of launching a national party, and support rates for the DP in media polls are lagging far behind those of the LDP.

As of Thursday, Kibo no To had only 14 lawmakers and lacks a national organization to back its candidates. But by accepting former DP members as candidates, the party can receive support from the DP’s local organizational machine, including help from the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, the nation’s largest labor union body better known as Rengo.

In return, DP members can take advantage of Koike’s popularity among voters.

“I want to achieve substance, rather than care about the name (of the party) only,” Maehara told DP lawmakers during Thursday’s meeting.

The predecessor of Democratic Party, formally called the Democratic Party of Japan, was set up in 1996 with founding members including former prime ministers Naoto Kan and Yukio Hatoyama.

After absorbing the Liberal Party led by Ichiro Ozawa, the DP took power by besting an LDP-led coalition in the 2009 Lower House election.

But the DP lost power in the 2012 general election after failing to meet a number of key election promises, including the drastic reorganization of the government budget.</s>Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.</s>TOKYO (AP) - A surge of popularity for a freshly minted opposition party in Japan is making Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to call a snap election look riskier than initially thought.

Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament Thursday, setting the stage for an Oct. 22 vote.

The Party of Hope, launched earlier this week by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, may not dethrone Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party but analysts say it could put a dent in the LDP’s majority. A major setback could derail Abe’s presumed hope to extend his rule for three more years at a party leadership meeting next year.

Minutes after the lower house dissolution, Abe made a fiery speech to party members. He said he is seeking a public mandate on his tough diplomatic and defense policies to deal with escalating threats from North Korea, and that party members would have to relay his message to win voter support during the campaign.

“This election is about how we protect Japan, the people’s lives and peaceful daily life,” Abe said. “The election is about the future of our children.”

Abe’s decision to dissolve parliament is widely seen as an attempt to reconsolidate his hold on power within the LDP, after a series of scandals and missteps earlier this year. A big enough victory could help ensure his re-election as party leader in September 2018.

The move is not without risks, but analysts say the timing may be better now than later. The Democratic Party, the largest opposition group, is in disarray, and the sudden election gives the Party of Hope little time to organize candidates and a campaign strategy.

Media polls, though, show the new party off to a respectable start, though still trailing the LDP.

Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University’s Japan Campus in Tokyo, called Koike’s new party a game changer.

“I think it is really bad news for Abe,” he said. “She doesn’t actually have to win, but she has to inflict a [wound] on Abe … If her party does better than expected, expect the long knives to come out in the LDP, and Abe could be ushered to the exit.”

Koike, at a news conference, denied speculation that she might run for parliament herself. “I will stay in the city and put my energy to lead Tokyo’s preparations ahead of the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics,” she said.

Still, a relatively good showing by her party could allow it to influence Abe on policies such as constitutional change, an issue both politicians have an interest in, said Stephen Nagy, a professor at International Christian University in Tokyo.

Working in Abe’s favor, he said, are the LDP’s nationwide electoral organization and his handling of North Korea, which has sent two missiles over Japan in recent tests. “Another missile test would likely put him in the limelight further, casting a shadow on the Party of Hope’s policy credentials,” Nagy said.

The Democratic Party, whose predecessor party held power in 2009-2012, is splintering, and many members have defected to Koike’s party. Party leader Seiji Maehara said the Democrats would do whatever it takes to bring down the Abe government.

Lower house members all stood up and chanted “banzai” three times in a dissolution ritual, then rushed out of the assembly hall. The other chamber, the less-powerful upper house, will not be up for election but remain closed until parliament is reconvened after the vote.</s>Abe’s personal ratings have risen to around 50 percent from around 30 percent in July, partly to back his leadership amid N Korea crisis.

Tokyo: Japan’s lower house was dissolved on Thursday ahead of an expected snap Oct. 22 election being called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as he seeks to confirm his mandate in the face a rising challenge from a popular new conservative party.

Abe, a conservative who returned to power in 2012, is hoping a boost in his voter support in recent months will help his Liberal Democratic Party-led (LDP) coalition maintain a simple majority. It currently holds a two-thirds “super” majority.

A number of opposition lawmakers boycotted the session at which the lower house was dissolved in protest at Abe calling the election and creating a potential political vacuum at a time when tensions are high with North Korea.

“This will be a tough battle, but it’s all about how we will protect Japan, and the lives and peaceful existence of the Japanese people,” Abe told a group of lawmakers.

Popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s new Party of Hope -- only formally launched on Wednesday -- has upended the election outlook after she announced she would lead the group herself.

Koike, a media-savvy former LDP lawmaker and defence minister often floated as a candidate to become Japan’s first female prime minister, said on Wednesday she would not run for a seat herself, but speculation that she will persists.

A survey by the Mainichi newspaper showed 18 percent of voters plan to vote for Koike’s Party of Hope compared to 29 percent for Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

An Asahi newspaper poll showed 13 percent planned to vote for Koike’s party versus 32 percent for the LDP. Both surveys asked voters their preference for proportional representation districts where ballots are cast for parties rather than specific candidates.

Abe’s personal ratings have risen to around 50 percent from around 30 percent in July, partly on the back of his leadership during the current North Korea crisis.

The emergence of Koike’s party - which she describes as pro-reform and conservative - has thrown the main opposition Democratic Party into turmoil. The Democrats are struggling with defections and single-digit ratings and now appear in danger of being absorbed by the Party of Hope.

Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara will propose that the party run no candidates in the election and let its members run under the Party of Hope flag, domestic media reports said.

The proposal could end up splitting the party, an often fractious mix of conservatives and liberals whose rocky 2009-2012 reign tainted its image with many voters.

Koike, 65, defied the LDP to run successfully for Tokyo governor last year and her novice local party then crushed the LDP in a metropolitan assembly election in July.

Her Party of Hope shares policy space with the business-friendly LDP, but Koike has staked out different stances on two issues likely to appeal to voters.

She wants to freeze a planned rise in the national sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent in 2019. Abe says he will raise the tax but spend more revenue on child care and education instead of paying back public debt.

Koike is also calling for Japan to abandon nuclear power, while Abe’s government plans to keep atomic power as a key part of the energy mix despite public worries about safety after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Koike has also criticised Abe for risking a political vacuum by calling the snap poll at a time of rising regional tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Recent reforms will reduce the number of lower house seats to 465 from 475 in the coming election.</s>TOKYO (AP) — A surge of popularity for a freshly minted opposition party in Japan is making Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to call a snap election look riskier than initially thought.

Abe dissolved the lower house of parliament Thursday, setting the stage for an Oct. 22 vote.

The Party of Hope, launched earlier this week by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, may not dethrone Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party but analysts say it could put a dent in the LDP’s majority. A major setback could derail Abe’s presumed hope to extend his rule for three more years at a party leadership meeting next year.

Minutes after the lower house dissolution, Abe made a fiery speech to party members. He said he is seeking a public mandate on his tough diplomatic and defense policies to deal with escalating threats from North Korea, and that party members would have to relay his message to win voter support during the campaign.

“This election is about how we protect Japan, the people’s lives and peaceful daily life,” Abe said. “The election is about the future of our children.”

Abe’s decision to dissolve parliament is widely seen as an attempt to reconsolidate his hold on power within the LDP, after a series of scandals and missteps earlier this year. A big enough victory could help ensure his re-election as party leader in September 2018.

The move is not without risks, but analysts say the timing may be better now than later. The Democratic Party, the largest opposition group, is in disarray, and the sudden election gives the Party of Hope little time to organize candidates and a campaign strategy.

Media polls, though, show the new party off to a respectable start, though still trailing the LDP.

Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University’s Japan Campus in Tokyo, called Koike’s new party a game changer.

“I think it is really bad news for Abe,” he said. “She doesn’t actually have to win, but she has to inflict a bloody nose on Abe … If her party does better than expected, expect the long knives to come out in the LDP, and Abe could be ushered to the exit.”

Koike, at a news conference, denied speculation that she might run for parliament herself. “I will stay in the city and put my energy to lead Tokyo’s preparations ahead of the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics,” she said.

Still, a relatively good showing by her party could allow it to influence Abe on policies such as constitutional change, an issue both politicians have an interest in, said Stephen Nagy, a professor at International Christian University in Tokyo.

Working in Abe’s favor, he said, are the LDP’s nationwide electoral organization and his handling of North Korea, which has sent two missiles over Japan in recent tests. “Another missile test would likely put him in the limelight further, casting a shadow on the Party of Hope’s policy credentials,” Nagy said.

The Democratic Party, whose predecessor party held power in 2009-2012, is splintering, and many members have defected to Koike’s party. Party leader Seiji Maehara said the Democrats would do whatever it takes to bring down the Abe government.

Lower house members all stood up and chanted “banzai” three times in a dissolution ritual, then rushed out of the assembly hall. The other chamber, the less-powerful upper house, will not be up for election but remain closed until parliament is reconvened after the vote.

Copyright © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Tokyo: Japan’s lower house was dissolved on Thursday ahead of an expected snap Oct. 22 election being called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as he seeks to confirm his mandate in the face a rising challenge from a popular new conservative party.

Abe, a conservative who returned to power in 2012, is hoping a boost in his voter support in recent months will help his Liberal Democratic Party-led (LDP) coalition maintain a simple majority. It currently holds a two-thirds “super” majority.

A number of opposition lawmakers boycotted the session at which the lower house was dissolved in protest at Abe calling the election and creating a potential political vacuum at a time when tensions are high with North Korea.

“This will be a tough battle, but it’s all about how we will protect Japan, and the lives and peaceful existence of the Japanese people,” Abe told a group of lawmakers.

Popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s new Party of Hope -- only formally launched on Wednesday -- has upended the election outlook after she announced she would lead the group herself.

Koike, a media-savvy former LDP lawmaker and defence minister often floated as a candidate to become Japan’s first female prime minister, said on Wednesday she would not run for a seat herself, but speculation that she will persists.

A survey by the Mainichi newspaper showed 18 percent of voters plan to vote for Koike’s Party of Hope compared to 29 percent for Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

An Asahi newspaper poll showed 13 percent planned to vote for Koike’s party versus 32 percent for the LDP. Both surveys asked voters their preference for proportional representation districts where ballots are cast for parties rather than specific candidates.

Abe’s personal ratings have risen to around 50 percent from around 30 percent in July, partly on the back of his leadership during the current North Korea crisis.

The emergence of Koike’s party - which she describes as pro-reform and conservative - has thrown the main opposition Democratic Party into turmoil. The Democrats are struggling with defections and single-digit ratings and now appear in danger of being absorbed by the Party of Hope.

Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara will propose that the party run no candidates in the election and let its members run under the Party of Hope flag, domestic media reports said.

The proposal could end up splitting the party, an often fractious mix of conservatives and liberals whose rocky 2009-2012 reign tainted its image with many voters.

Koike, 65, defied the LDP to run successfully for Tokyo governor last year and her novice local party then crushed the LDP in a metropolitan assembly election in July.

Her Party of Hope shares policy space with the business-friendly LDP, but Koike has staked out different stances on two issues likely to appeal to voters.

She wants to freeze a planned rise in the national sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent in 2019. Abe says he will raise the tax but spend more revenue on child care and education instead of paying back public debt.

Koike is also calling for Japan to abandon nuclear power, while Abe’s government plans to keep atomic power as a key part of the energy mix despite public worries about safety after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Koike has also criticised Abe for risking a political vacuum by calling the snap poll at a time of rising regional tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Recent reforms will reduce the number of lower house seats to 465 from 475 in the coming election.</s>Tokyo — Japan’s lower house was dissolved on Thursday ahead of an expected snap October 22 election being called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as he seeks to confirm his mandate in the face a rising challenge from a popular new conservative party.

Abe, a conservative who returned to power in 2012, hopes a boost in his voter support in recent months will help his Liberal Democratic Party-led (LDP) coalition maintain a simple majority. It currently holds a two-thirds "super" majority.

A number of opposition legislators boycotted the session at which the lower house was dissolved in protest at Abe calling the election and creating a potential political vacuum at a time when tension is high with North Korea.

"This will be a tough battle, but it’s all about how we will protect Japan, and the lives and peaceful existence of the Japanese people," Abe told a group of legislators.

Popular Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike’s new Party of Hope — only formally launched on Wednesday — has upended the election outlook after she announced she would lead the group herself.

Koike, a media-savvy former LDP legislator and defence minister often floated as a candidate to become Japan’s first female prime minister, said on Wednesday she would not run for a seat herself, but speculation that she will persists.

A survey by the Mainichi newspaper showed 18% of voters plan to vote for Koike’s Party of Hope compared with 29% for Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

An Asahi newspaper poll showed 13% planned to vote for Koike’s party versus 32% for the LDP. Both surveys asked voters their preference for proportional representation districts where ballots are cast for parties rather than specific candidates.

Abe’s personal ratings have risen to around 50% from around 30% in July, partly on the back of his leadership during the current North Korea crisis.

The emergence of Koike’s party — which she describes as pro-reform and conservative — has thrown the main opposition Democratic Party into turmoil. The Democrats are struggling with defections and single-digit ratings and now appear in danger of being absorbed by the Party of Hope.

Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara would propose that the party run no candidates in the election and let its members run under the Party of Hope flag, domestic media reports said.

The proposal could end up splitting the party, an often fractious mix of conservatives and liberals whose rocky 2009-2012 reign tainted its image with many voters.

Koike defied the LDP to run successfully for Tokyo governor last year and her novice local party then crushed the LDP in a metropolitan assembly election in July.

Her Party of Hope shares policy space with the business-friendly LDP, but Koike has staked out different stances on two issues likely to appeal to voters.

She wants to freeze a planned rise in the national sales tax to 10% from 8% in 2019. Abe says he will raise the tax but spend more revenue on child care and education instead of paying back public debt.

Koike is also calling for Japan to abandon nuclear power, while Abe’s government plans to keep atomic power as a key part of the energy mix despite public worries about safety after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Koike has also criticised Abe for risking a political vacuum by calling the snap poll at a time of rising regional tension over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Recent reforms will reduce the number of lower house seats to 465 from 475 in the coming election.</s>Japan's main opposition Thursday decided not to run candidates in the upcoming election, effectively joining forces with a new party formed by popular Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike in a bid to topple Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The move capped a stunning few days on Japan's sleepy political scene that has seen the calling of a snap election, the creation of Koike's dynamic new "Party of Hope" and the effective unification of opposition to Abe's conservative government.

The centre-left Democratic Party (DP) approved its leader Seiji Maehara's proposal not to field candidates in the October 22 poll. Members should instead apply to represent Koike's new group, Maehara said.

"We must stop the Abe government and achieve a change of administration," said Maehara, a political veteran and former foreign minister.

Maehara said he would stay as chief of the DP but Thursday's decision effectively marked the death of the party, which has been wallowing in poor support ratings.

"No matter how good the product is, it is no use if it can't find a buyer," he told reporters.

The DP and its allies already held fewer than 90 seats in the lower house of parliament, less than one-third of the 287-strong force of Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

It is a far cry from when the DP swept to power in 2009, ousting the long-dominant LDP.

But the DP's spell in government was brief and it was booted from office in late 2012 by a resurgent Abe-led LDP following a series of mis-steps and policy flip-flops.

The party also came under fire for its handling of the tsunami-triggered Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

According to a poll in business daily Nikkei less than a week ago, 44 percent of Japanese planed to vote for the LDP, while only eight percent favoured the main opposition.

But the emergence of Koike's "Party of Hope" has transformed the political landscape and new polls show Abe's lead has been cut dramatically.

Koike, 65, who became Tokyo governor in a landslide last year, has said her party aspires to offer an alternative to the long-governing LDP and a break from old-school politics and links to vested interests.

Japanese voters will go to the polls on October 22 after Abe called a snap election, apparently in a bid to capitalise on the weak state of the DP.
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe dissolves the lower house of parliament prior to the October 22 election.