Japan Press Weekly

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2011 September 14 - 20 [POLITICS]

Longer Diet session is a matter of course: Shii

The House of Representatives at its plenary session on September 16 unanimously agreed to extend the extraordinary Diet session by 14 days.

The ruling bloc was initially going to have the session for only four days despite all opposition parties’ disapproval. It intended to close the session with Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko’s policy speech at both chambers and with party representatives’ questions in response to Noda’s speech.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo said that the extension of the Diet session is “a matter of course.”

He told reporters on the same day that Noda should clearly explain his government’s basic stance to the general public at each party’s interpellation and also in the Q-and-A sessions in the budget committees of the two Houses.

He said, “Met with criticism from the public as well as all the opposition parties, the ruling force hastily reversed its initial decision of limiting the session to four days. It was an inept handling of the matter, I must say.”

Regarding such issues as taxation, social welfare, and U.S. military bases in Japan, “I will strongly argue the JCP position in the Budget Committee,” Shii said.