Japan Press Weekly

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2017 November 1 - 7 [POLITICS]

Shii: Retract gov't proposal to cut opposition parties' Diet interpellation time

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on November 2, in regard to an attempt by the ruling coalition to shorten the time alloted to opposition parties in Diet debates, said, "The governing parties should retract this proposal."

At a press conference held on the same day, Shii argued that their proposal is "so irresponsible it could destroy democracy as we know it".

Shii pointed out that it was the Liberal Democratic Party itself that had demanded an increase in the amount of interpellation time for opposition parties when it was in the opposition camp (2009-2012).

Shii said, "In light of both the parliamentary cabinet system and the exercise of the investigation right of the Diet, it is a matter of course for the governing parties to ensure more time to opposition parties," demanding that the time allocation should stay as is.

Reportedly, former LDP Secretary General Ishiba Shigeru also criticized the party's attempt to forget the stance it took when it was one of the opposition parties and instructed the party to keep in mind that there are millions of people supporting the opposition camp at the time who voted for it.

Past related article:
> Abe wants to stop opposition parties' pursuit of 'Moritomo' & 'Kake' scandals [October 29, 2017]