Photo/Illutration Shigeru Ishiba addresses fellow Liberal Democratic Party members after being elected party president on Sept. 27 at LDP headquarters in Tokyo. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Shigeru Ishiba, the newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said on Sept. 30 that he will call a Lower House election for Oct. 27.

Campaigning will start on Oct. 15.

The election will be an early test for the new leaders of both the ruling and opposition blocs.

Ishiba will be voted in as the new prime minister on Oct. 1, when an extraordinary Diet session is convened.

He is expected to dissolve the Lower House on Oct. 9, following question-and-answer sessions with representatives of other parties.

There is a significant push within the LDP for an earlier general election due to concerns that Ishiba’s new administration will face scrutiny from the opposition.

In contrast, the opposition has argued against an early dissolution, emphasizing the need for more thorough debate in the Diet.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is still adapting to its new leader, former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who was elected party president on Sept. 23.

In a Sept. 29 television interview, Ishiba said about a Lower House election: “The sooner, the better. However, I want to ensure that we provide the necessary materials for voters to make a judgment.”

During another TV program on Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK), he addressed speculation the election would be held within October by saying, “I do not deny various possibilities.”

During the LDP presidential race, Ishiba proposed that the new prime minister and opposition party leaders hold discussions within the prominent Lower House Budget Committee.

Arrangements are now being made to organize debates with leaders from opposition parties.

The next general election will be the first since the scandal erupted over unreported political funds among LDP factions.

Ishiba said he is committed to addressing the accountability of lawmakers involved in the scandal, including those up for re-election.

But he has kept details of his plans vague, including on whether the party will endorse these candidates.

“I want to fulfill my accountability as the one who grants endorsements,” he said.

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