Struggle over Diet Session

Five opposite parties in the Diet submitted each House a request for convoking extraordinary session this fall. In spite of the demand based on a provision in the Constitution of Japan, the leading parties are reluctant to have a session. It will be unusual that a Diet session will not be held against an official request. The reason is simple. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is afraid of eruption of scandals from his Cabinet through the discussion.

Those five opposite parties were Democratic Party of Japan, Innovation Party, Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party. They joined collective action to demand new session immediately to review negotiation of Trans-Pacific Partnership or hear opinion of each Ministers of Abe Cabinet reshuffled last month. “When a quarter or more of the total members of either House makes the demand, the Cabinet must determine on such convocation,” says Article 53 of Constitution of Japan.

After unilateral passage of new security bills in last session, the opposite parties were searching for an opportunity to criticize political handling of Abe. Fortunately, some scandals rose up around new Ministers. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Hiroshi Moriyama, and Minister of Education, Culture, Science, Technology and Sports, Hiroshi Hase, were doubted as having received suspicious money from private companies. Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territory Affairs, Aiko Shimajiri, distributed calendar to her supporters, which can be suspected as violating a law against inappropriate donation. A weekly magazine reported that Minister for Reconstruction, Tsuyoshi Takagi, had committed theft of underwear of young woman years ago.

It is likely that the nightmare of last fall occupied Abe’s mind. Two Ministers had to step down with money scandals after the discussion in extraordinary session of the Diet a year ago. If new session is held this fall, it is highly possible that Abe will face further decline of supporting rate in a period of concentrated effort to rebuild his economic policy. “We need to prioritize Prime Minister’s schedule of diplomacy,” told Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga.

But, diplomacy of Prime Minister is always scheduled every fall. Abe seems to be trying to escape from discussion against him. Although the Constitution does not determine how soon the Diet session has to be convoked, it is necessary for the administration to comply with demand of “the highest organ of state power.”