Japan Press Weekly

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2015 October 21 - 27 [POLITICS]

JCP & 4 opposition parties demand opening of extraordinary Diet session

The Japanese Communist Party and four other opposition parties on October 21 submitted to both chambers of the Diet a petition for convocation of an extraordinary session in accordance with Article 53 of the Constitution. This petition was sent to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo via the two Houses.

The number of parliamentarians who support the written demand totals 125 from the House of Representatives and 84 from the House of Councilors, including leaders of each opposition party: the JCP, the Democratic, the Japan Innovation, the Social Democratic, and the People’s Life parties.

They claim that the government has neither responded to public anxiety and concerns regarding the security-related legislation which was forcibly enacted in the previous ordinary session nor explained to the general public about the contents of “a broad agreement” the government reached early this month regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. They underscore the need to hold interpellations about each cabinet member’s policy stance as the prime minister has just reshuffled his Cabinet, demanding that “an extraordinary session of the Diet be immediately convened”.

After submitting the petition to the Lower House speaker, JCP Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji said to the press, “It is irresponsible for the national government to essentially abandon the Diet when numerous issues affecting people’s lives are arising.”

Article 53 of the Constitution stipulates, “The Cabinet may determine to convoke extraordinary sessions of the Diet. When a quarter or more of the total members of either House makes the demand, the Cabinet must determine on such convocation.”

The number of Dietmembers on a name list attached to the petition meets this requirement.

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The assembly of the farming prefecture of Iwate on October 20 adopted a written opinion with majority approval, calling for an early start of the extraordinary Diet session to fully examine and discuss details of the TPP negotiations. The Liberal Democratic and Komei parties voted against the opinion document.

This is the first resolution of its kind at the prefectural level.

It criticizes the national government for having carried out the TPP talks behind closed doors and having decided matters of national interests without letting the general public know what they are about.

Past related articles:
> Japan Agricultural Cooperatives: basic agreement on TPP is regrettable [October 7, 2015]
> Japanese government must not sign TPP deal: Shii [October 6, 2015]