29.12¡ÆC
<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of the parliament ahead of a snap election.</span><br></p><p>The poll, announced on Monday and which comes a year early, will take place on 22 October.</p><p>Abe is seeking a fresh mandate amid a rebound in his approval ratings and the ongoing North Korea nuclear crisis.</p><p>The right-wing hawk became prime minister in 2012, and his Liberal Democrat Party leads a ruling coalition that controls the Diet.</p><p>Abe suffered a drop in popularity earlier this year over allegations of cronyism.</p>
