October 3, 2026

Opposition parties on October 2 agreed that in the upcoming extraordinary session of the Diet, they will work together to block the ruling parties’ attempt to pass a bill to cut the number of seats in the House of Representatives.

This agreement was made in a conference of Diet affairs committee chiefs which the opposition parties held in the Diet building on that day.

They jointly agreed that regarding a consumption tax cut bill which the government plans to submit in the extraordinary Diet session, they will demand thorough deliberation in the presence of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and other relevant ministers. The opposition parties also confirmed that they will not allow Diet steering aimed at reducing the prime minister’s attendance at the Diet.

Japanese Communist Party representative Shiokawa Tetsuya at the meeting said, “Reducing the attendance of the prime minister and cabinet ministers at the Diet under the pretext of ‘streamlining parliamentary operations’ is totally unacceptable. We must hold members of the Takaichi Cabinet to their obligations under Article 63 of the Constitution to attend Diet meetings and answer questions.”

Referring to the government plan to temporarily lower the consumption tax on food from the current 8% to 1% for two years, Shiokawa pointed to the need to establish a special committee in both chambers on the grounds that the planned tax cut will have an impact not only on the tax system but also on various fields. He stated that unlike discussions at the “National Council on Social Security” from which the JCP and some political parties were excluded, discussions at the special committee should take place with all political parties participating.

Criticizing the ruling bloc’s move to downsize the Lower House, Shiokawa pointed out, “Dietmembers are supposed to represent the general public. Slashing the number of Diet seats will make it difficult for the Diet to heed public demands and will weaken parliamentary oversight of the administration.” He stressed, “What is needed is to hold discussions on a fundamental reform to create an electoral system that reflects the will of the general public.”