Legislation Takes Time

With deliberated political consideration, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Liberal Democratic Party decided to extend current session of National Diet to late September. A move for the unprecedentedly long extension passed the Diet on Monday. The reason was clear. Abe wanted to save as long period of time as possible for security legislature to be approved in both Houses. Although he was pretending to be careful to appeal democratic process, it was power politics based on great majority in the Diet.

House of Representatives passed a move to extend current session by ninety-five days until September 27^th on Monday, which marked the longest extension in the post-war history of Japan. “Though it’s going to be a hot summer, we need to work hard for the people,” told Secretary General of LDP, Sadakazu Tanigaki.

Constitution of Japan determines that a bill passes the Diet when it is approved with two thirds of majority in the House of Representatives, even if the House of Councillors does not approve within sixty days from the day it accepted the bill from the House of Representatives. LDP calculated that the session needed to be extended until late September, based on the calculation that security legislation would pass the House of Representatives by mid-July at the latest.

But, this strategy on Diet schedule is highly unusual. It is likely that LDP will be criticized of its maneuver with majority power by the opposite parties. The security bills have been facing strong opposition from the public. Newspapers have been accusing Abe administration that the legislation was clearly unconstitutional. It is unlikely that the bills are passing easily, because power politics on the great majority may accept negative response from the public.

The leading parties are determined to pass the bills within this session even how the stakes are high. If Abe cannot make it, credibility of him will be broken down, because he promised U.S. President Barack Obama to pass the bills by this summer. To maintain his political momentum, with unpredictable economic trends for the second half of this year, Abe wants to make the achievement sure as soon as possible.

The opposite parties are campaigning against unilateral legislature. “The people do not understand the bills. Abe needs to close this session and submit new version of legislation in next session,” told President of Democratic Party of Japan, Katsuya Okada. But, Innovation Party is showing strange move by considering its original version of security legislatures. It must be a helping hand for LDP, because such action may lead to discussion for joint amendment between LDP and Innovation Party. Struggle on security legislation between the parties will be extended long.