Abe's snap election called for October 22.....>

JAPAN: Abe's snap election called for October 22 looks to perhaps have been

called in too much confidence as opposition parties have 'united against Abe.'

Tokyo Governor Koike launched her 'Party of Hope' on Wednesday last week, giving

herself less than a month to formulate a policy and gain support from the nation

but on Thursday the Democratic Party which was formally President Abe's biggest

rival disbanded to unite with Koike's Party of Hope and since then, the party

has grown in strength. On Friday Mainichi Newspaper reported an 18% vote for

Koike and 29% for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party then this weekend Kyodo News

Agency reported 45.9 favoured Abe as Prime Minister and 33% favoured Koike,

showing polls are tightening. 

- BOJ Tankan data in earlier on this session at +22 from +17 prior highlights

manufacturers confidence and also highlights positive demand... This may help

Abe's position further so we'll look to more polls post Tankan Data prior to the

election which is creeping in.