December 5, 2020

A motion submitted to the Lower House speaker by opposition parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, demanding that the Diet session be extended for another 23 days in order to deal with an escalation of COVID-19 cases, was rejected by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komei Party, and the "Nippon Ishin no Kai" party. This led the 203rd extraordinary Diet session to be adjourned on December 5.

Before the session ended, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo at a general assembly of all JCP Dietmembers criticized the ruling parties for neglecting the need for preparedness of a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic and added, "They have steamrollered through the closing of the session so as to keep the public eye off of scandals involving former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo over tax-funded 'cherry blossom-viewing parties', a bribery allegation involving former Agriculture Minister Yoshikawa Takamori, and vote-buying cases involving former LDP Dietmembers."

Shii called on the JCP lawmakers to continue making efforts to protect people's livelihoods and businesses from the pandemic and work even harder to press PM Suga Yoshihide to retract his denial of Science Council of Japan membership to six council-nominated professors.

Past related articles:
> Abe's explanation conflicts with hotel receipts for banquets on eve of cherry blossom-viewing parties [November 25, 2020]
> Science Council of Japan president says Suga’s nomination refusal is ‘serious problem’ [October 2, 2020]
> 2 sitting Dietmembers arrested for vote buying [June 19, 2020]