This year's ordinary Diet session was convened on the 23rd, and Prime Minister Kishida indicated his intention to realize a drastic strengthening of defense capabilities and work on measures to combat the declining birthrate.

On the other hand, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan representative Izumi indicated that he would pursue the government and ruling party's tax increase policy to secure the defense budget.

The 211st ordinary session of the Diet was convened on the 23rd, and the House of Councillors held a plenary session at 10:00 a.m., where procedures such as the establishment of a special committee were carried out.



In the Diet, the opening ceremony will be held after welcoming His Majesty the Emperor, followed by four speeches by the government, including Prime Minister Kishida's policy speech, at the plenary sessions of both houses of the Diet.

Prior to this, on the morning of the 23rd, Prime Minister Kishida said at the general meeting of members of both houses of the Liberal Democratic Party, "In order to realize the decisions made at the end of last year, such as the drastic strengthening of defense capabilities, the ruling parties will work together in the Diet. We will tackle the declining birthrate, which is the biggest structural problem in our country, and the most important one, and engage in fierce debates with the strong conviction that it is the LDP-Komeito government that can carve out Japan's future. I'll go,' he said.

On the other hand, Izumi, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, said at the party's House of Councilors general meeting, "For security, we will strengthen what should be strengthened realistically, while protecting peace and exclusive defense, but we will divert the special income tax for reconstruction to defense expenses. Diet reform and expenditure reform are also necessary, and the more you beat the bills and budget bills of the government and ruling parties, the more you will be trained, and the better things will come out. I want to go,' he said.



The regular session of the Diet lasts for 150 days until June 21, and with unified local elections scheduled for April, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to engage in fierce debate from the outset.

Komei Yamaguchi Representative "Promotion of countermeasures against high prices and declining birthrate"

Komeito leader Yamaguchi said at the party's House of Councilors general meeting, "Before the unified local elections in April, we must deal with issues such as rising prices that threaten people's lives, and also firmly move forward with countermeasures against the declining birthrate. I would like to challenge the Diet with the conviction that only the New Komeito can do that."

First controversy in three years without masks

In the regular Diet session, it was decided to allow people to speak without wearing a mask at the plenary session of both houses of the Diet.



In April 2020, both houses of the House of Representatives agreed to wear masks at the plenary session as a countermeasure against the new coronavirus, and it will be the first time in three years that there will be a debate without masks.



In the House of Representatives, an acrylic board was installed in front of the podium as a countermeasure against infection.



In the House of Councillors, the stenographers are not installed because they work in a remote location.



On the other hand, attendees other than speakers will continue to wear masks.