Japan Press Weekly

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2020 December 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

Opposition parties agree to demand extension of Diet session for 23 more days

Opposition parties including the Japanese Communist Party will jointly demand the extension of the current Diet session, which will be end on December 5, until December 28 in order to prepare thoroughly for countermeasures against COVID-19.

The opposition parties' secretaries-general agreed on this in their meeting held in the Diet building on December 3.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a press conference on the same day said, "It is absolutely outrageous," for the government and ruling parties to close the Diet session after just two days amid the worsening COVID-19 situation, and stressed the need to extend the term for 23 more days.

Pointing out that an increase in serious cases is causing the collapse of healthcare services in some communities, Shii said, "While the coronavirus will not take a winter break, how can the Diet justify taking recess? We, Dietmembers, must find ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 while keeping people's livelihoods and businesses afloat."

Regarding banquets hosted by former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on the eve of past cherry blossom-viewing parties, it was recently found that Abe had paid the shortfall for such banquets with funds from his supporters. Shii noted that Abe, however, had stated in the Diet that he did not pay anything at all, adding, "It is necessary to summon Abe before the Diet and he should speak the truth."

Shii referred to a suspected bribery case involving former Agriculture Minister Yoshikawa Takamori in which he reportedly accepted five million yen in cash from an egg company in the minister's office. Shii said, "The Diet should exercise its authority to investigate the case in order to fully bring the scandal to light."

Past related article:
> Abe's explanation conflicts with hotel receipts for banquets on eve of cherry blossom-viewing parties [November 25, 2020]