“Don’t let a crisis go to waste” is being used yet once again. Japan’s Prime Minister has had terrible poll numbers for some time now, down around 30%. The North Korea “crisis” has driven his numbers over 50%. What a great time to call for new elections!
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would dissolve parliament’s lower house on Thursday for a snap election, as he seeks a fresh mandate to overcome “a national crisis”.
Abe, in power for five years, said he needed a mandate to shift some revenues from a planned future tax hike to social spending such as education, besides seeking support for a tough stance toward North Korea’s repeated missile and nuclear tests. Read more here.