Japan Govt, Ruling Bloc Eye Extension of Diet Session

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government and the ruling coalition are considering the possibility of extending the ongoing session of the Diet, the country's parliament, to ensure the enactment of a supplementary state budget and key bills.

Although the Diet has completed one-third of its current 69-day extraordinary session set to end on Dec. 10, it has started deliberating only a few bills, such as legislation aimed at revising the infectious disease law to prepare for future pandemics.

During the current session, the government plans to submit 18 bills. So far, no bills have been passed.

The government is expected to submit a fiscal 2022 supplementary budget plan, designed to finance its latest economic package, in November.

But the House of Representatives Budget Committee is unlikely to start deliberating the extra budget at least until Nov. 21, less than a month before the planned end of the session, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to tour Southeast Asia in mid-November.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]