A snap Lower House election this autumn appears increasingly unlikely, following comments by senior ruling party leaders that the priority for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is dealing with the coronavirus.
But behind the scenes, jockeying within the Liberal Democratic Party between potential Abe successors has intensified, while the main opposition parties continue to discuss the possibility of merging before an election is called.
Speaking to NHK on Sunday morning, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga appeared to rule out a September or October general election — the subject of much recent media speculation.