Around the World: Japan

Aso puts off election

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has decided to put off calling an election so he can deal with the global financial crisis and take steps to address Japan's own economic woes, Kyodo news agency reported yesterday.

A decision to delay an election for parliament's lower house could prompt the opposition, which controls the upper chamber, to drag out debate on key bills, including a bank rescue plan, even as Japan faces financial turmoil that yesterday saw Tokyo's Nikkei share average veer wildly from a 26-year intra-day low to close more than 6 percent higher.