Tokyo, Muharram 25, 1436, November 18, 2014, SPA -- Japan's prime minister announced Tuesday that he would dissolve parliament and hold new elections before the end of the year, dpa reported. Shinzo Abe said he would also delay the second phase of an unpopular increase in the national sales tax. The lower house of parliament would be dissolved on Friday, he told a press conference in Tokyo. The elections are expected to be held in December, about two years ahead of schedule. Abe was elected with a popular mandate in 2012 to revive the economy, which his drastic measures have so far failed to do. --SPA 13:57 LOCAL TIME 10:57 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w