It’s a message that has kept the ruling Liberal Democrats in power for most of the past 55 years. But Japanese voters are leaning sharply toward something new this time, and Aso’s warnings about the dangers of change may not be enough to prevent a historic loss in next month’s elections.

"It really looks like Japanese voters are simply fed up with the LDP," said Martin Schulz, an economist at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo. "This is not just a power game right now. This is a shift in sentiment."

Aso, who had until October at the latest to disband parliament, had been under increasing pressure to exercise that power because of his dwindling support ratings and political gridlock with the opposition that has stymied business in parliament.

He had resisted calling a vote in the hope his low approval ratings would recover. He caved in after his party was routed in local elections last week and members of his own party threatened to dump him.

Hours after parliament was dissolved, Aso slammed the opposition, led by the Democratic Party of Japan, as having no substantive policies of their own and trying merely to capitalize on his unpopularity.

"We cannot leave Japan’s economy in their hands," Aso said at an evening news conference. "We cannot leave Japan’s security in the hands of a party without a security policy. Only the LDP can take responsibility for Japan’s future."