No plans to dissolve parliament, says Japan's new premier

ANKARA

Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she has no plans to dissolve parliament after returning home from an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Speaking at a news conference in South Korea, Takaichi said her priority is to deliver on her promises to the Japanese people, including key economic measures.

"I don't have time to consider that at the moment," she told reporters when asked whether she plans to dissolve the Lower House after returning home.

Takaichi was elected last month as Japan’s first female prime minister, succeeding Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned following growing criticism from within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after consecutive election defeats.

Earlier this week, she hosted US President Donald Trump in Japan and visited Malaysia to attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

On Thursday, Takaichi arrived in South Korea for the APEC summit -- her first visit to the country as prime minister -- and held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the event.