Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Wednesday he has no plans to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election anytime soon but will do so before the government raises the consumption tax.

"I have said that I will ask for public judgment before (the sales tax) will be raised, and that remains unchanged," Kan said during a Lower House plenary session.

Fielding questions from Liberal Democratic Party President Sadakazu Tanigaki, Kan, however, said he will not immediately call an election, stressing his priority is to clear the fiscal 2011 budget.