NHK

Japan's ruling, opposition parties to face off in final month of Diet session

Now that the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima has concluded, Japan's ruling parties are prioritizing the enactment of key bills in the ongoing Diet session, set to end in less than one month.

Lower House members will begin budget deliberations on Wednesday. The Upper House budget committee will hold a session on Friday. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will attend both committees.

The ruling parties hope to enact a bill aimed at securing funds to boost defense spending in order to strengthen Japan's defense capabilities. They aim to pass the bill in the Lower House on Tuesday.

The ruling parties also seek to enact a revised bill to amend immigration rules. It would allow deportation of asylum seekers who have applied for refugee status three or more times, unless adequate reasons are given.

The opposition bloc is set to grill the government over its plan to raise taxes to boost defense spending and measures to secure funds for addressing Japan's falling birthrate.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party and other parties are also opposed to the bill submitted by the ruling parties to promote understanding of the LGBTQ community. The document compiled by a nonpartisan group of lawmakers was reworded before submission to the Diet.

Meanwhile, speculation is rising among lawmakers that the prime minister could decide to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election, based on his diplomatic achievements, including the G7 summit.

Whether the opposition camp will submit a no-confidence motion against the Kishida Cabinet will be a matter of interest in the final stage of the Diet.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230522_07/