TOKYO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reportedly dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap election on Sept. 28 when parliament is scheduled to convene for an extraordinary Diet session, local media quoted ruling party sources as saying Thursday.
According to Kyodo News, Abe, however, will not deliver a policy speech or deliberate issues pertinent to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including ethical ones that have plagued the LDP, of which Abe is also under fire for.
The opposition camp has expressed its indignation at the prime minister's plans to skip the speech and deliberations, with Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara on Thursday slamming Abe's plan as making a mockery of the highest political process.
"It is an act that ridicules the highest organ of state power," Maehara was quoted as saying.
On behalf of four opposition parties, Democratic Party Secretary General Atsushi Oshima lodged a strong protest with his LDP opposite number Toshihiro Nikai over Abe's decision, sources close to the matter said Thursday.
