Assuming deliberations continue in the manner they have been conducted so far, extending the Diet session will be meaningless. Both the ruling and opposition parties must seriously discuss vital issues at length, thus fulfilling the Diet's primary role.
The House of Representatives voted to extend the current Diet session by 32 days until July 22. It is the first extension of an ordinary Diet session since 2015, when security-related legislation was enacted. The extension of a Diet session is inevitable to enact important legislation.
Work style reform legislation, whose central pillar is to correct the practice of long working hours, while also resolving unfair disparities in treatment between regular and non-regular employees, has considerable significance.
A "post-hourly wage" system, in which certain types of high-paying jobs are exempt from work-hour regulations, can also contribute to the improvement of productivity.
In order for the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, in which 11 countries take part, to take effect, at least six countries need to complete their domestic procedures. Japan, which is one of the core members, should address the issue promptly.
The enactment of TPP-related bills, which have incorporated measures for livestock farmers and others, is essential. It is important for the government to go into trade talks with the United States and other countries, having already developed a framework for free trade.
Abe must straighten up
During the latest Diet session, much time was spent on issues related to the sale of state-owned land to private school operator Moritomo Gakuen and to the new establishment of a veterinary department at a university operated by the Kake Educational Institution. The Finance Ministry had altered documents related to approval of the land sale to Moritomo Gakuen. Daily activity logs written by Self-Defense Force personnel during their dispatch to Iraq, which were earlier said to be "nonexistent," have also been found.
The government's responses came all too late, a factor that has invited the opposition's questions at the Diet. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must straighten up in managing the administration.
Kotaro Kake, head of the Kake Educational Institution, held a press conference and said he never had discussions with Abe, a friend of his, over the establishment of the veterinary department. His statement is a denial of a meeting in February 2015 that was noted in a document of the Ehime prefectural government.
Although no facts have been found that indicate Abe's involvement with the establishment of the department, Abe has a responsibility to explain it carefully.
Opposition parties, for their part, should also actively wage a battle of words on policy issues during the extended Diet session.
The government and the ruling parties aim at enacting a bill designed to introduce integrated resorts featuring casinos in Japan. As various ill effects likely to result from the introduction of casinos have been cited, careful deliberations are called for.
The bill to revise the Public Offices Election Law, which the Liberal Democratic Party has submitted, would make the present House of Councillors election system more complicated. The party should make efforts to form a broad consensus by fully explaining what the revision aims at.
The lower house's commission on the Constitution has not held any substantial discussion during the latest Diet session. This is a venue for parties to give their opinions on constitutional amendments in a quiet atmosphere and to compile a draft revision. Relevant discussion should be deepened in the remaining session of the Diet.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 21, 2018)
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