Japan PM to dissolve parliament's lower house on Thursday

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to media after North Korea's missile launch, at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to dissolve the lower house of parliament at the start of the extraordinary session on Thursday, a senior lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party said, paving the way for a snap election for the lower house. The extraordinary session of parliament is set to start on Thursday. Abe told a meeting of ruling party executives of his plans on Monday, the lawmaker said. (Reporting by Takashi Umekawa, writing by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Nick Macfie)