Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Wednesday he is ready to dissolve the parliament’s lower house shortly for a general election in exchange for opposition support for the passage of his controversial tax hike bill.

Despite Noda’s announcement, the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) wants him to clarify the exact time for the dissolution. The opposition leaders said Noda must clarify when he intends to dissolve the lower house, if he wants to secure enough support for the bill’s passage, which will double the 5 percent consumption tax rate by 2015. The LDP threatened to pressure Noda through a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet.

Speaking at the press conference, Cabinet Secretary Osama Fujimura said Noda is unlikely to set a definitive date for dissolution of the lower house and hold an early general election.