TOKYO -- Japan's ruling and opposition parties are gearing up for a general election that must be held in the next six months as the four-year legal term of the lower house ends in October.
Speculation is rife about when Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will dissolve the house for a snap poll. While history indicates it can come any time, Suga is facing a raft of challenges including the coronavirus pandemic and the Tokyo Olympics, all of which may prevent him from taking the step until shortly before the end of the term or even force him to let the term expire.
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