Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi gave a strong hint Saturday that he will dissolve the House of Representatives in October, saying he will make a decision on the timing after taking into consideration Lower House by-elections scheduled for late October.
Campaigning for the by-elections will officially start on Oct. 14 and voting is scheduled to take place on Oct. 26, but the elections will be canceled if the Lower House is dissolved before election day.
"It's about time that (the Lower House) is dissolved and a general election held," Koizumi told a news conference following his sweeping victory in the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election.