Japan Press Weekly

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2026 October 21 - 27 [POLITICS]

JCP Shiokawa on TV program criticizes PM Takaichi’s poor attendance record at Diet

Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Shiokawa Tetsuya pointed out that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s attendance at the Diet is abnormally low, criticizing the prime minister for disregarding the importance of being present at Diet deliberations.

Shiokawa made this remark on NHK’s “Sunday Debate” program aired on October 25 during debate with other political party representatives on the issue of parliamentary reform.

PM Takaichi spent 35 hours attending Diet deliberations on the budget draft for the current fiscal year. This is roughly half the 55 hours that former PM Ishiba spent attending such deliberations last year. With regard to the intensive budget deliberations, former PM Kishida attended for 73 hours in 2024 and former PM Ishiba for 90 hours last year. In contrast, PM Takaichi’s attendance totaled only 29 hours.

Shiokawa criticized PM Takaichi’s poor attendance, and said she is undermining the obligations of the prime minister and ministers under Article 63 of the Constitution to attend parliamentary meetings and answer questions. He stressed, “Parliamentary reform is needed to enable the Diet to effectively exercise its function of overseeing the administration.”

Liberal Democratic Party Diet Affairs Committee Chief Murai Hideki said that he takes the issue of PM Takaichi’s appearance in the Diet “seriously”.

Past related article:
> PM Takaichi restricts journalists’ questions, depriving public of their right to know [June 5, 2026]