Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has dissolved the lower house of parliament and called an early general election for 9 November. The move was expected after Mr Koizumi, who is well ahead in the polls, won a leadership race within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last month.
 | JAPAN'S ELECTION RACE Koizumi's LDP-led coalition holds 285 seats Naoto Kan's DPJ opposition holds 137 Campaigning starts 28 October LDP has ruled almost constantly since 1955 |
The LDP and its coalition partners held 285 seats in the 480-seat lower chamber. A BBC correspondent says Mr Koizumi wants to extend his majority to push on with reform plans.
Mr Koizumi had to call an election by June 2004.
But the latest opinion polls gave Mr Koizumi an approval rating of between 60 and 65%, and after an overwhelming victory in a party election last month, Mr Koizumi has appointed a younger, more reformist cabinet which has gone down well with voters.
Our correspondent says analysts are predicting a near-certain victory for the prime minister. Even if the prime minister was not enjoying his current level of popularity, Japan lacks a credible opposition.
The question is whether Mr Koizumi, once armed with the solid majority he wants, will have the courage to push through more ambitious reforms.
Seijiro Takeshita, from financial analysts Mizuho International, told the BBC this was by no means certain.
Mr Takeshita said that the prime minister faced opposition from within his own party, and "the only weapon that Koizumi has is (public) popularity".
"The dilemma here is that if the pain (of economic reforms) starts to kick in, he will lose that," he told BBC World.
Economy boost
Mr Koizumi came to office promising to change Japan and his party. But he has been accused of moving too cautiously.
But the public still seem prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, our correspondent says.
The apparently strong recovery of the Japanese economy should also help the ruling coalition at the polls.
The stock market has performed strongly in recent months and economic growth has out-performed many other industrialised countries for the first time in years.
The decision of the morning cabinet meeting to dissolve parliament was submitted to Emperor Akihito for his formal approval and then announced in the lower house.
Mr Koizumi also managed to push through the last major piece of legislation pending for the current session of parliament.
A bill was passed allowing for Japan to extend its current anti-terrorism law - due to expire on 1 November - which allows it to send naval ships to the Indian Ocean to refuel other ships engaged in US-led operations in and around Afghanistan.
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