TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on Oct. 10 for a snap election on Nov. 9 if he is reelected the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), local newspapers reported Monday.

　　The Mainichi Shimbun said in a front-page story that Koizumi instructed LDP executives to arrange the political schedule for a snap election on Nov. 9 following a lower house dissolution on Oct.10.

　　Japanese Constitution empowers the prime minister to dissolve the lower house, and a snap general election is required within 40 days of the dissolution.

　　The Asahi Shimbun said that Koizumi decided to dissolve the lower house in October for a snap election in November because hisreelection as LDP chief in the party's presidential race on Sept. 20 looks almost certain.

　　LDP Secretary General Taku Yamasaki has an Oct. 10 dissolution of the lower house for a Nov. 9 snap poll in mind, Asahi said.

　　But the newspaper said that the lower house could also be dissolved in later October and if that is the case, a snap election would be called on Nov. 16 or November 30.

　　Citing government and LDP sources, the Tokyo Shimbun reported that a snap election is being considered for Nov. 9 or Nov. 16.

　　Newspaper surveys show Koizumi is likely to win the LDP presidential race. The winner is virtually assured of becoming prime minister because the LDP-led ruling bloc controls the lower house.

　　A survey published on Monday by the Asahi Shimbun showed that Koizumi was likely to get around 60 percent of the LDP lawmakers' votes and nearly half the local ballots.

　　Victory in the LDP election goes to the candidate who takes a majority of the 657 votes up for grabs -- those of the party's 357 lawmakers, plus another 300 from the 47 local LDP chapters. Enditem