Just one day after a crushing defeat in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly race, Prime Minister Taro Aso played his ultimate trump card Monday and announced the Lower House election will be held Aug. 30 under his leadership.
The opposition camp led by the Democratic Party of Japan, meanwhile, submitted a censure motion in the Upper House and a motion of no confidence in the Lower House against Aso.
Although the nonbinding censure motion was likely to be approved by the opposition-controlled Upper House, the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc was set to reject the vote of no confidence in the Lower House. The motions will be voted on Tuesday.