Japan's Kishida says he won't dissolve Diet, ending snap election talk for now

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers his policy speech during the first day of an ordinary session at the lower house of parliament in Tokyo, Japan January 23, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday he would not dissolve parliament in the coming days, following weeks of speculation that he might do so to call a snap election in the hopes of solidifying his power within the ruling party.

Talk of a dissolution surfaced a few weeks ago as Kishida's support ratings rose in the days after his hosting of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, his home base.