Abe Aide Sees 90% Chance of Japan General Election This Year

  • April by-election key to election timing, Shimomura says
  • `Possible' for Abe to change constitution during his term
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to call a general election this year, an aide said, as speculation swirls over whether the prime minister will combine a mandated upper house vote with a poll for the lower house.

Hakubun Shimomura, 61, said in an interview Thursday there was a 90 percent chance parliament would be dissolved for an election by year-end. Shimomura previously aired this opinion in a TV interview last month.