Tokyo, Dec. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba suggested Friday that he may call a snap election for the House of Representatives if his government’s fiscal 2025 budget plan or important legislation is rejected or if a no-confidence motion against his cabinet is passed during an ordinary parliamentary session next year.

“If the budget plan or extremely important legislation is rejected, it would be conceivable to ask the sovereign people to decide which is right: the will of the Lower House or that of the cabinet,” Ishiba said in a speech at an event hosted by the Research Institute of Japan, a Jiji Press affiliate.

He added that the public could be asked to “make a judgment” on a possible no-confidence motion as well.

The prime minister’s reference to a possible snap election for the all-important parliamentary chamber despite having suffered a major defeat in the October general election is seen causing a stir.

“I’m not at all saying something threatening like I will do it now,” he added, signaling that he has no plans to call a snap Lower House election anytime soon.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]