TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday dissolved the more powerful lower chamber of Japan's bicameral parliament and called a general election.

The general election will be held on Oct. 22.

Abe last dissolved the lower house of parliament in November 2014 and thereafter led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior Komeito coalition ally to a sweeping victory in the following election.

Thursday's dissolution marks the 4th time in postwar Japan that the lower chamber has been dissolved on the day the Diet has convened.