Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 June 18 - 24 [POLITICS]

Bill to create ‘closed Diet panel’ enacted

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on June 20 used their majority in the House of Councilors plenary session to forcibly pass a bill to create a permanent, closed Diet panel for the first time since the war’s end.

The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill.

JCP lawmaker Nihi Sohei in his discussion prior to the vote pointed to the fact that although the newly-established panel is reportedly designed to monitor the government handling of state secrets, it is up to the Cabinet if it submits to the panel the information designated as a special secret. “The priority of the administrative branch’s decision to the legislative branch undermines parliamentary politics,” Nihi said.

The bill was passed through relevant committees of both Upper and Lower Houses after only a 7-hour discussion in each of the committees.

Past related article:
> Ruling bloc aims to set up Diet panel to approve arbitrary concealment of state information [ June 13, 2014]