Japan PM says lower house to be dissolved

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Tuesday told a meeting of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party that the House of Representatives, or the lower house in the Diet, will be dissolved, media reported.

The prime minister will hold a press conference later Tuesday and is expected to announce the decision during the press briefing, in which Abe may also delay the second round of sales tax hike to be carried out in October 2015, Xinhua reported citing the Kyodo news agency.

The planned consumption tax hike is expected to be postponed until April 2017 when there is no general election, according to reports.