2 weeks Ago
Japan's Diet will convene a special session from next Monday following the general election, the top government spokesman said, with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba looking set to be reelected the same day. While the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, the Komeito party, lost its majority in the election, Ishiba, who doubles as LDP president, is expected to remain in office as he is likely to receive more support than his main opposition counterpart in parliament. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday notified both ruling and opposition party lawmakers in charge of Diet affairs of the schedule of the envisioned four-day session.
The ruling and opposition camps did not agree on the exact length of the session, with further talks expected on Wednesday. The leaders of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People agreed that they will press ahead with political reforms during their first meeting since the election last month. CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda and DPP chief Yuichiro Tamaki are set to pile pressure on the ruling coalition in parliament after the LDP's mishandling of political funds eroded voter confidence.
Tamaki told Noda, who has been rallying support from other opposition parties for his bid to become prime minister, that the DPP will vote for Tamaki. A party leader must secure majority support in parliament to become prime minister. If neither exceeds that threshold, a vote will proceed to a runoff, and the candidate who secures the most votes will secure the post.
The CDPJ saw its seats increase in the general election but is still short of a majority. If the DPP votes for its own leader Tamaki, this will benefit Ishiba. After being reelected, Ishiba is expected to form a new cabinet.
The DPP has said it is open to cooperating with other parties on a policy-by-policy basis. The LDP and the DPP will hold talks to find common ground over measures to ease the negative impact of inflation. The CDPJ's Noda, for his part, expressed his willingness on Tuesday to work with the DPP toward the smaller opposition's goal of raising the income threshold for tax payments.
The House of Representatives will get a new speaker and vice speaker, while a new president of the House of Councillors will also be chosen during the Diet session after Hidehisa Otsuji decided to step down due to ill health..
