Aso says time for decision on dissolving lower house near+

L'AQUILA, Italy, July 10 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Taro Aso said Friday that he will decide soon on when to
dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election, adding there are
not many options available to him.
''It is true that there is not a wide range of options regarding the timing of
the dissolution. It is a fact that the time to make a judgment is nearing,''
Aso told a news conference in the central Italian city of L'Aquila held after
the three-day summit of the Group of Eight powers.
A general election must be held for the lower house by October because its
members' four-year term expires on Sept. 10. Speculation is rife that the prime
minister would dissolve the chamber to call an election before then.
Aso, who doubles as president of the dominant Liberal Democratic Party, said he
is aware of ''various people inside and outside the party making statements at
various places in Japan.''
''I will make a judgment soon by taking various conditions fully into account.''
Aso indicated, however, that he intends to continue governing the country
regardless of the outcome of the closely watched Tokyo metropolitan assembly
election to be held on Sunday.
''The metropolitan assembly election is just a regional election,'' he said.
''I have said it is not directly related to national politics.''
''As prime minister, I am responsible for the politics of Japan. I will protect
the people and Japan. My intention to continue to fulfill that responsibility
will never change,'' he added.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan expects to see large gains in the
metropolitan election on Sunday.
In a bid to force Aso to dissolve the lower house, the party plans to submit a
no-confidence resolution against Aso's Cabinet to the chamber, possibly on
Monday, DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama suggested at a news conference in Tokyo on
Friday.
Several bills that the ruling LDP-New Komeito party bloc considers important
are pending in the Diet, including bills to amend the Organ Transplant Law, and
a special measure to enable inspections of North Korean cargo in line with a
U.N. resolution.
The current legislative session ends on July 28.
Aso was attending the G-8 summit meeting in the earthquake-hit Italian city
along with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and
the United States.
==Kyodo