Changing Structure of the Diet

A special session of the Diet will be convoked on February 18th. Sweeping victory of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Lower House election in earlier this month will drastically change the structure of the Diet, giving two-thirds majority to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The opposition parties are responsible for checking Takaichi administration from excessive use of power to implement her agenda. 

After the election in October 2024, in which the LDP lost significant number of seats in the House, some important committee seats were occupied by opposition parties. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) chaired 10 out of 27 committees, including the Committee on Budget and Commission on the Constitution. Handling of committees by opposition chairperson irritated Takaichi, partly causing her decision to have a snap election to change the situation in the Diet.

 

Through discussion by their representatives, the parties agreed on which party would lead each committee. The leading coalition by the LDP and Japan Innovation Party (JIP) took 25 chairs out of 27 committees. The LDP occupied all those 25 chairs except Committee on Justice and Special Committee for Political Reform for JIP. The LDP will be able to control Budget Committee that will be a main venue for discussion on scandals, or Committee on Rules and Administration that decides to have a plenary sitting for finalize discussion over bills. Those two posts are recognized in the LDP as important as minister’s post.

 

It is estimated that Tetsushi Sakamoto will be the Chairperson of Committee on Budget. As Takaichi hopes to accelerate discussion for FY2026 budget bill to pass the Diet by the end of March, Sakamoto is expected to shortcut the schedule of budgetary discussion in the committee. The LDP will appoint Keiji Furuya, current LDP election chief, to the chair of Commission on the Constitution. Takaichi wants to conclude discussion over constitution. Furuya is known as a conservative veteran who has close idea on the constitution to Takaichi’s.

 

The top opposition party, Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), is in a confusion in distributing the posts in the House to its members. It is usual that Vice-speaker of the House is allocated to the top opposition party. Although the CRA once decided to appoint someone from CDPJ to the position and offered it to Kenta Izumi, Izumi refused it, because Vice-speaker is regarded as the post for an old and retiring lawmaker. The CDPJ nominated Keiichi Ishi, former chief representative of Komeito, to Vice-speaker to reside the plenary sittings as the deputy of the Speaker from the LDP.

 

Three former lawmakers who lost in the Lower House election have decided to leave the party, embracing frustration with handlings of party leadership on establishing a new party. New leader of the CRA, Jun-ya Ogawa, who is willing to play a role of opposition party to check the government, is going to face further difficulty for unification of his own party.

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