Moves by lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to remove Prime Minister Taro Aso as LDP president looked doomed Thursday because it appeared they will be unable to prevent him from dissolving the Lower House early next week.
Aso's foes in the LDP wanted an emergency meeting convened Friday to decide his fate, but party executives instead decided to possibly convene just a general gathering Tuesday to allow Aso to directly spell out his views on why the long-ruling party's public support is plummeting. Aso has called for the Lower House's dissolution, possibly the same day.
The prime minister told reporters earlier Thursday that if some sort of meeting is called, he would willingly attend and explain his thoughts to his colleagues.