TOKYO   -  Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba dissolved parliament on Wednesday, saying that an election this month was a chance to “create a new Japan” by revitalising rural regions. Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner are almost certain to be re-elected on October 27, with the premier banking on his popularity and a fragmented opposition to secure a majority.

At a press conference, he said that beefing up spending on poorer regions hit by Japan’s demographic crisis was not just a rehashing of old ideas.

“This is an attempt to create a new Japan that will drastically change the nature of Japanese society. In order to boldly carry out this major change, we need the confidence of the people,” he said. The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, albeit with frequent leader changes.

But Ishiba, named prime minister just last week, wants to shore up his mandate to push through policies that include more spending on defence.