ID :
16287
Mon, 08/18/2008 - 22:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/16287
The shortlink copeid
Date to convene next Diet session to be set Tues.
TOKYO, Aug. 18 Kyodo - Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday he wants to make a decision Tuesday on a date for convening the next extraordinary Diet session that will likely focus attention on an extension of Japan's refueling activities for U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan.
''I think I want to decide it,'' Fukuda told reporters. ''It's about time that (the date) was decided.'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said earlier in the day that the date will be decided at a meeting of senior members of the government andruling coalition parties on Tuesday.
The ruling parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party --have remained apart on when to open the session.
Fukuda has said he would like to convene the session before September, apparently to ensure enough time to force Diet approval of an envisioned bill to extend the refueling mission in a second vote at the House of Representatives should the opposition-controlled House of Councillors refuse tovote on it.
But reluctant to implement an extraordinary step of taking a second vote, theNew Komeito party has opposed convening the Diet session earlier than usual.
Fukuda reiterated the need to continue the refueling mission, saying, ''It is very important in terms of how we become engaged with international society.'' On the length of the extraordinary Diet session, Fukuda said there needs to be enough time to hold deliberations on ''many pending issues,'' citing such matters as the need to have discussions on an envisioned bill to set up aconsumer agency.
''I think I want to decide it,'' Fukuda told reporters. ''It's about time that (the date) was decided.'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said earlier in the day that the date will be decided at a meeting of senior members of the government andruling coalition parties on Tuesday.
The ruling parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party --have remained apart on when to open the session.
Fukuda has said he would like to convene the session before September, apparently to ensure enough time to force Diet approval of an envisioned bill to extend the refueling mission in a second vote at the House of Representatives should the opposition-controlled House of Councillors refuse tovote on it.
But reluctant to implement an extraordinary step of taking a second vote, theNew Komeito party has opposed convening the Diet session earlier than usual.
Fukuda reiterated the need to continue the refueling mission, saying, ''It is very important in terms of how we become engaged with international society.'' On the length of the extraordinary Diet session, Fukuda said there needs to be enough time to hold deliberations on ''many pending issues,'' citing such matters as the need to have discussions on an envisioned bill to set up aconsumer agency.
