Ruling Bloc Pushes Ahead with Signature Bills amid Opposition Boycott

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Japan Innovation Party coalition is pushing ahead with bills to establish a secondary capital in Japan and reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, amid the boycott of Diet proceedings by opposition parties.

On Tuesday, the ruling bloc began deliberations on the secondary capital bill in the Lower House special committee on regional revitalization. The Centrist Reform Alliance, the Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito and Team Mirai were absent.

The committee's chairman, Hideki Niwa of the LDP, decided under his authority to continue deliberations on Wednesday.

The special committee on political reform discussed the Lower House seat reduction bill for a second day but forewent a vote on the bill amid the opposition's absence. Its chairman, Teruo Minobe of the JIP, decided to hold another round of deliberations on Wednesday.

Opposition parties are refusing to participate in Diet proceedings as the ruling bloc is rejecting their demand that the budget committees of both Diet chambers hold meetings with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in attendance.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]