Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)–A planned extraordinary session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, is likely to be convened after Oct. 23, a Liberal Democratic Party executive said Wednesday.
The government and the LDP-led ruling bloc previously discussed a plan to convene the session Oct. 23. Now, Oct. 26 has emerged as a more likely date, according to the LDP member.
This is because the schedule of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s visit to Vietnam and Indonesia in mid-October has been decided, the member added.
On Wednesday, LDP Diet affairs chief Hiroshi Moriyama showed the Oct. 23 plan to Jun Azumi, his counterpart in the biggest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Azumi told reporters.
Later, however, the senior LDP member quoted Suga as saying that it would be difficult to start the Diet session Oct. 23 due to his Southeast Asian trip.
The extra session is likely to run for about 50 days to early December.
During the Diet session, Suga will deliver his first policy speech since taking office Sept. 16, followed by question-and-answer sessions on his speech in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.
The budget committees of both chambers will also meet.
Battles between the ruling and opposition sides are expected to heat up ahead of the next Lower House election, which must take place before the October 2021 expiration of the terms of the chamber’s lawmakers.
