Tokyo, Jan. 21.
The Japanese Diet was dissolved Jat 4.40 this afternoon.
Following the dissolution the Government issued a statement explaining the reasons for—dissolv. ing which were, firstly, the difficulty.|of carrying out administrative policies as.a minority party in the Lower House, secondly the necessity of stabilizing the political situation, and thirdly, the desiral ity of ascertaining the people's confidence in the. present Ministry The elections have been tentatively fixed for February 20. A Government victory is considered tually certain though it possibly may be unable to. obtain en absolute majority.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.