Japanese PM decides to dissolve lower house

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda attends a lower house plenary session at the parliament in Tokyo, Nov 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda decided to officially dissolve the House of Representatives at the plenary session Friday afternoon during the routine Cabinet meeting Friday morning.

Noda will hold a press conference Friday evening at his official residence to explain the dissolution to Japanese people.

Japan's parliament passed key bills Friday on electoral system reform and government debt issuance, so that Noda has no reason to delay the dissolution.

"I think I could dissolve the lower house Friday if Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe makes promises on cutting the number of lawmakers in the 480-seat lower house," Noda said on Wednesday at a parliamentary debate with main opposition LDP.

Abe responded that the LDP would like to cooperate with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan on issuing the electoral system reform bill after the debate.

The general election is scheduled on Dec 16, and the election campaigning would commence on Dec 4.