Koizumi has dissolved the Japanese Diet in response to rejection of postal services commercialization bill
{{date|August 8, 2005}}

The [[w:House of Councillors|House of Councillors]], the upper house of the [[w:Diet of Japan|Diet of Japan]], voted on the controversial bill that would have privatized the [[w:Japan Post|Japanese Postal Service]] at around 1 p.m. (JST, UTC +8) on Monday, August 8. The bill was rejected by a slim margin – 108 for, 125 against, one abstention and two intentional absences – after a rebellion within the ruling Liberal Democractic Party (LDP).

The Prime Minister, [[w:Junichiro Koizumi|Junichiro Koizumi]], had promised that the privatization of the Postal Service, which is also Japan's largest savings bank, would "revitalize" the Japanese economy. He has also stated that the commercialization of the Postal Services was at the core of his policies, and threatened to dissolve the houses and call for an immediate election in case of a defeat.

As promised, the rejection led to an immediate call of the cabinet ministers at 3pm to dissolve the [[w:House of Representatives of Japan|House of Representatives]]. For the dissolution to be valid all cabinet ministers must jointly sign an edict issued in the name of the Emperor. Cabinet minister Shimamura Yoshinobu, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, refused to sign the edict, and resigned. The dissolution was officially announced by Chair Kono at the Diet later in the evening.

The election is reported to be held on September 11.

== Sources ==

*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/today/news/20050808k0000e010031000c.html
|タイトル=郵政法案：参院本会議で採決へ　法案成立は極めて困難に
|著者=
|publisher=Mainichi Shinbun
|発行者=毎日新聞社
|日付=August 8, 2005}}
*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/today/news/20050808k0000e010062000c.html
|タイトル=郵政法案：参議院本会議で否決、総選挙の可能性強まる
|著者=
|publisher=Mainichi Shinbun
|発行者=毎日新聞社
|日付=August 8, 2005}}

*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2005/08/2005080801002200.htm
|タイトル=衆院解散、総選挙へ　自民分裂選挙に突入
|著者=
|publisher=Kawakita Shinpo
|発行者=河北新報社
|日付=August 8, 2005}}

*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye3090231.html
|タイトル=小泉首相、解散・総選挙を明言
|著者=
|publisher=JNN
|発行者=JNN
|日付=August 8, 2005}}

*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/today/news/20050809k0000m010006000c.html
|タイトル=衆院選：衆院解散を閣議決定　９月１１日投票の見通し
|著者=
|publisher=Mainichi Shinbun
|発行者=毎日新聞
|日付=2005年8月8日}}

*{{出典・ウェブ|
url=http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/2005/08/08/k20050808000132.html
|タイトル=郵政法案否決 衆議院解散
|著者=
|publisher=NHK
|発行者=NHK Online
|日付=August 8, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4130456.stm
|title=Japanese PM calls snap election
|author=BBC News
|pub=BBC News
|date=August 8, 2005}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Junichiro Koizumi]]
{{PD-Article}}

[[de:Japans Regierungschef plant Neuwahlen]]
[[es:Koizumi convoca a elecciones anticipadas en Japón]]
[[fr:Koizumi convoque des élections anticipées au Japon]]
[[ja:衆議院が解散、8月30日公示、9月11日投票]]
[[pt:Koizumi convoca eleições antecipadas no Japão]]
The House of Councillors, the upper house of the Diet of Japan, voted on the controversial bill that would have privatized the Japanese Postal Service at around 1 p.m. (JST, UTC +8) on Monday, August 8. The bill was rejected by a slim margin – 108 for, 125 against, one abstention and two intentional absences – after a rebellion within the ruling Liberal Democractic Party (LDP).

The Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, had promised that the privatization of the Postal Service, which is also Japan's largest savings bank, would "revitalize" the Japanese economy. He has also stated that the commercialization of the Postal Services was at the core of his policies, and threatened to dissolve the houses and call for an immediate election in case of a defeat.

As promised, the rejection led to an immediate call of the cabinet ministers at 3pm to dissolve the House of Representatives. For the dissolution to be valid all cabinet ministers must jointly sign an edict issued in the name of the Emperor. Cabinet minister Shimamura Yoshinobu, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, refused to sign the edict, and resigned. The dissolution was officially announced by Chair Kono at the Diet later in the evening.

The election is reported to be held on September 11.

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de:Japans Regierungschef plant Neuwahlen
es:Koizumi convoca a elecciones anticipadas en Japón
fr:Koizumi convoque des élections anticipées au Japon
ja:衆議院が解散、8月30日公示、9月11日投票
Koizumi convoca eleições antecipadas no Japão
Politics and conflicts Asia Japan Junichiro Koizumi