Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has indicated he does not see a need to dissolve the House of Representatives any time soon, effectively dismissing speculation that a general election might be held in May or June.
"I don't think (a snap election) will occur anytime soon," Suga told reporters following the Diet passage of the fiscal 2021 budget. "We need to steadily carry out anti-coronavirus measures."
Some Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers believe that rather than being forced to dissolve the chamber just before the current term of Lower House members expires in October, Suga should take action earlier.
Suga's planned meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in April and other events in the coming months, such as enacting digital reform-related legislation, could buoy public support for his Cabinet, they said.
Many anticipate a dissolution will come after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in the summer, but the COVID-19 pandemic will likely affect the prime minister's decision.
Despite the lifting of a COVID-19 state of emergency on Monday, the number of new infections in Tokyo, Osaka and some other parts of Japan have not fallen to levels public health experts had hoped, raising concerns about a possible rebound.