Japanese Parliament Concludes 5-day Special Parliamentary Session

Japanese Parliament Concludes 5-day Special Parliamentary Session

Japan's Parliament Concludes Extraordinary Session, Postpones Tariff Deal Debate

Japan's parliament, known as the Diet, recently concluded a five-day extraordinary session without major confrontations. The session was primarily focused on appointing the president and vice president of the House of Councillors, following last month's election for the upper chamber of the Diet [1][4].

Despite the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito losing their majorities in both chambers, the main opposition party decided not to submit a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s cabinet [1][4]. Ishiba actively participated in the deliberations during the session [1][4].

The tariff deal between Japan and the U.S. was a topic of intensive deliberations during the budget committees of both parliamentary chambers. However, the full-scale verbal battle between the ruling and opposition parties regarding the tariff deal was postponed until the next extraordinary parliamentary session, expected in autumn [2][3].

Shigeru Ishiba, head of the Liberal Democratic Party, participated in the intensive deliberations at the House of Representatives on Monday, and also participated in the Upper House of the Diet on Tuesday [6]. Ishiba emphasized the need for steady implementation of the tariff agreement amidst recent U.S. reciprocal tariff measures and pledged efforts to minimize impacts on Japanese exports to the U.S. [1][5].

The parliament session underscored the minority status of the ruling coalition but maintained government stability, with Ishiba resisting pressure to resign after the recent elections. Following the session, the LDP is expected to hold a plenary meeting to evaluate election results and political leadership, facing internal pressures but also aiming to continue government responsibilities and legislative work collaboratively [4][5].

Additional significant outcomes include progress toward abolishing the provisional gasoline tax by the end of 2025, a move agreed upon in cooperation between ruling and opposition parties, aiming to pass legislation in a future session [4].

In summary, the extraordinary Diet session successfully appointed upper house leadership and conducted preliminary tariff deal discussions. The full debate on the Japan-U.S. tariff deal was postponed until autumn. Ishiba remains in office, facing internal party pressures but committed to implementing trade agreements and legislative responsibilities. Cooperative efforts toward tax reforms, such as abolishing the provisional gasoline tax, advanced in the session.

The next extraordinary parliamentary session, expected in autumn, will likely involve further discussions on the Japan-U.S. tariff deal and the appointment of the president and vice president of the House of Councillors. The session was not solely focused on the tariff deal with the U.S., but also included discussions about it.

References:

[1] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/05/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-concludes-extraordinary-session-appoints-upper-house-leaders/ [2] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/01/business/economy-business/us-japan-tariff-deal-diet/ [3] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/05/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-concludes-extraordinary-session-appoints-upper-house-leaders/ [4] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/06/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-concludes-extraordinary-session-appoints-upper-house-leaders-shows-minority-status-ruling-coalition/ [5] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/05/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-concludes-extraordinary-session-appoints-upper-house-leaders/ [6] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/01/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-concludes-extraordinary-session-appoints-upper-house-leaders/

1. As the Japan-U.S. tariff deal was a significant issue during the recent extraordinary parliamentary session, related discussions on this policy-and-legislation matter may appear in general news reports.
2. During the extraordinary session, photo opportunities of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba might have been taken during his participation in debates related to war-and-conflicts, politics, or policy-and-legislation such as the tariff deal with the U.S., providing visual coverage for the media alongside general news articles.

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