This week on Tokyo on Fire:

First up this week is the next election of the House of Representatives. Speculation is growing that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will dissolve the House for a snap election on Oct. 22 to head off alignment in the opposition camp. At the same time, a growing number of LDP members are angling for Abe's spot as party leader. Will we see the LDP reelect Abe for a historical third term, or will the torch be passed to one of these hopefuls?

Next up, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has angered organizers of an upcoming memorial service for Koreans massacred in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake by bucking tradition and declining to send a eulogy. What does the Governor's snub mean?

Last Friday, Japan's Democratic Party elected former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara as its new leader. It is a bittersweet victory, as the party continues to be marred by defections and internal strife. Can the DP regroup and strengthen itself again towards becoming a real threat to the LDP?

Finally, North Korea has fired yet another ballistic missile. Flying over Hokkaido before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, this launch was condemned by the international community and termed by the Japanese prime minister as a "grave threat". How did Japanese react to the missile launch? How realistic is the danger facing the South Korea and Japan?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!