Abe dissolves lower house as opposition bands together

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the lower house Thursday for an Oct. 22 general election, in a bid to maintain his hold on power amid a reorganization of opposition parties under the leadership of popular Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.Abe dissolved the chamber as soon as it convened at noon for an extraordinary session, telling reporters later Thursday he did so "having decided that we must obtain the public's support and understanding to overcome the national crises of a declining birth rate and the threat from North Korea."But the timing of the election, campaigning for which will start on …READ FULL ARTICLE