Japanese politics in focus - Rabobank

Analysts at Rabobank noted that Japanese premier Shinzo Abe called on September 22 for snap lower house elections to be held on October 22 - mainly on the back of recent improvements in Abe’s approval ratings after the low July levels.

Key quotes:

"Despite these ratings, a disorganized and expected weak opposition would additionally benefit Abe’s LDP-Komeito coalition.

Although we still expect Abe’s coalition to win the election by majority, the disbanding of Japan’s largest opposition party and the subsequent founding of Yuriko Koike’s new Party of Hope can turn the snap election from initial logic to a gamble."