Forcible Passage of Security Bills

The leading parties of the Diet, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, determined a schedule for new security bills as taking votes at the Special Committee in House of Councillors on next Wednesday and passing in the House as soon as next Thursday. Since they need to take forcible measures for achieving it, the opposite parties are strongly opposing the schedule. It is likely that the administration led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will lose its popularity, facing protest of the public that will be frustrated with unilateral procedure on the bills.

Article 59 of the Constitution of Japan determines that failure of the House of Councillors to take final action within sixty days after receipt of the bills passed by the House of Representatives may be determined by the House of Representatives to constitute a rejection of the said bill by the House of Councillors. After September 14^th, the leading parties can take advantage of the provision to pass the bills. The secretary generals of both leading parties reconfirmed that they would not like to use that rule for the passage of security bills on Wednesday.

However, Abe and Secretary General of LDP, Sadakazu Tanigaki, agreed on passing the bills “accordingly,” even how the opposite parties would try to disturb the procedure. While their coalition partner, Komeito, is reluctant to use “nuclear option,” LDP leadership is determined to achieve their goal according to their schedule. “We need to get conclusion as soon as possible,” told Tanigaki after a meeting with Abe on Wednesday.

The opposing parties are doing their best to block that procedure. Democratic Party of Japan, Innovation Party and Japan Communist Party started considering submission a no-confidence motion against Abe Cabinet. Once the motion is submitted, all procedure in the Diet will be stopped until the vote for the motion will be taking place in the Diet. Although it will be dismissed by the majority of the leading parties, the motion will buy certain period of time against passing the bills and, more importantly, ignite public protest against highly unusual violation of the Constitution by the government.

As the matter of the fact, it is likely that the bills will pass the Diet with stable majority of the leading parties. However, a certain amount of people are frustrated with unilateral procedure of the security bills, against careful opinions of constitutionality. Economies are volatile with instability of international market stems from unsure Chinese economy. It will be likely that Abe administration will face steep decline in popularity, if it go straight to pass the bills.