Japan Ruling Bloc Gives Up Diet Seat Bill Passage at Current Session

Tokyo, July 7 (Jiji Press)–The leaders of Japan’s two ruling parties on Tuesday confirmed plans to give up on enacting a bill to cut the number of House of Representatives seats during the current parliamentary session, which is slated to end in less than two weeks. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Hirofumi Yoshimura, chief of the LDP’s coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed on the policy in their meeting held at the parliamentary building, according to sources in the ruling camp. They discussed the handling of the bill to reduce seats in the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, and another bill to establish a secondary capital of the country. The two parties will aim to enact the Lower House seat reduction bill, which is at the center of criticism from the opposition side, during an extraordinary Diet session seen to be convened this autumn. On Wednesday, the ruling side is expected to convey to the opposition bloc the plan to give up the passage of the Lower House seat bill during the current Diet session, in an effort to normalize Lower House proceedings. The opposition camp has been boycotting deliberations at the lower chamber due to their objections to the two bills. Still, it remains to be seen whether opposition parties will end their boycotting, because the ruling camp continues to be adamant on passing the secondary capital bill during the ongoing session. Takaichi told reporters after the meeting with Yoshimura that they “exchanged views” on Diet deliberations, including on pending lawmaker-initiated legislation, until the July 17 end of the current session. But she declined to comment on details. The prime minister added that she and Yoshimura did not discuss a possible extension of the current Diet session. On an opposition demand that intensive discussions be held at the Lower House Budget Committee, Takaichi said: “I have attended intensive debates if so requested and answered questions. This stance remains unchanged.” Meanwhile, Yoshimura, also governor of the western prefecture of Osaka, said that the handling of the two bills will be discussed among Diet affairs chiefs of the ruling and opposition parties. The ruling coalition has suspended deliberations on the two bills at the lower chamber as they are putting top priority on an Imperial House Law revision bill, aimed at helping secure a sufficient number of Imperial Family members. The Diet affairs chiefs of opposition parties agreed Tuesday to demand that the ruling side withdraw the Lower House seat reduction and secondary capital bills. They also reaffirmed that they will not allow an easy extension of the current Diet session. Opposition parties returned to Upper House deliberations Tuesday, welcoming the LDP’s decision Monday to accept the opposition side’s demands for holding intensive discussions at the Upper House Budget Committee with Takaichi’s participation and a debate among party leaders during the current Diet session. At the Upper House Cabinet Committee on Tuesday, an explanation was given on a bill to criminalize acts to damage Japan’s national flag. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]