It's finally official. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday he will dissolve the Lower House and call a snap election next month, after his administration decided to delay the next hike in the consumption tax until April 2017.
Voters will be justified in wondering why now.
A national election will cost as much as ¥60 billion in taxpayers' money, and the members of the Lower House still have two years left in their four-year terms.
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