Latest news with #LowerHouse
Asahi Shimbun
17 hours ago
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Noda abandons no-confidence motion to avoid power ‘vacuum'
Yoshihiko Noda, president of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, speaks at a news conference on June 19. (Takeshi Iwashita) The main opposition party officially dropped plans to submit a no-confidence motion against the Ishiba Cabinet during the current Diet session, saying Japan needs to stay focused on more pressing issues. 'We must avoid creating a political vacuum,' Yoshihiko Noda, president of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said at a news conference on June 19. Noda described U.S. tariffs on Japanese products as a national crisis and said the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has made evacuation of Japanese nationals an urgent task. 'At the moment, the responsible behavior for the largest opposition party is not to work against the government but rather give it an encouraging pat on the back,' Noda said. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is now expected to close the Diet session as scheduled on June 22, which effectively sets the Upper House election for July 20 with campaigning starting on July 3. Noda said a no-confidence motion may be submitted later, possibly during an extraordinary Diet session in autumn, if the Ishiba administration fails to strike an agreement with the United States on the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Ishiba has told his aides that if the CDP were to submit a no-confidence motion, he would dissolve the Lower House for a snap election without taking a vote on the motion. Such a move would lead to simultaneous elections next month for both Diet chambers. Some CDP lawmakers said the party must sponsor a no-confidence motion even at the risk of simultaneous elections. But CDP executives expressed concern that the party would be at a disadvantage in a dual-election scenario because it has been underprepared in recruiting candidates, raising funds and coordinating with other opposition parties. At the news conference, Noda said a no-confidence motion risks losing the opposition bloc's advantage in the Lower House, where the ruling coalition has been driven into a minority. The CDP chief made the announcement shortly after Ishiba briefed leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on the status of negotiations over U.S. tariffs and other policy issues. Noda also met with the leaders of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), the Democratic Party for the People and the Japanese Communist Party before the news conference and informed them of the CDP's plan not to submit a no-confidence motion. The CDP is the only opposition party that holds the number of seats required for sponsoring a no-confidence motion on its own. But the CDP would need help from other opposition parties to actually pass the no-confidence motion and force the prime minister to either dissolve the Lower House or have his Cabinet resign en masse. However, Nippon Ishin and the DPP have been reluctant to jointly sponsor a no-confidence motion, although they previously called on the CDP to go ahead with the plan. (This article was written by Takahiro Okubo and Ryohei Miyawaki.)
3 days ago
- Business
Japan Lower House Dismisses Panel Chair for 1st Time
News from Japan Politics Jun 18, 2025 18:05 (JST) Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)--Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, passed a motion Wednesday to dismiss Tatsunori Ibayashi of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party as chairman of its Financial Affairs Committee. At a Lower House plenary meeting, the motion was approved with support from opposition parties including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People. According to the Lower House, it was the first time that a motion to dismiss a standing committee chairman has been approved under the current Constitution. The latest move came amid a confrontation between the opposition parties advocating for the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax surcharge, effective July 1, and the ruling parties opposed to the measure, ahead of the election of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, this summer. The Lower House will hold another plenary session later in the day to begin the process of appointing Ibayashi's successor. Both the ruling and opposition camps plan to nominate candidates, making an election likely. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
In a first, Lower House opposition parties unite to dismiss finance committee chair
The Lower House finance committee chairman was removed Wednesday after a united opposition front supported a dismissal motion in a bid to hurt the ruling coalition ahead of the upcoming Upper House election. It is the first time ever that a motion against the head of a committee has cleared the Lower House — with a 237-221 vote — reflecting the vulnerabilities of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government. A similar motion has been approved in the Upper House in the past. Tatsunori Ibayashi, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, became the target of the dismissal motion for failing to allow deliberations on a bill to abolish the gasoline tax in the final stage of the parliamentary session. Yukihiko Akutsu, a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker, was chosen to replace him in an election in the Lower House hours later with 238 votes. He is expected to kickstart the debate over the bill in the coming hours. The motion came as it became less likely for the CDP to submit a no-confidence motion — a key arsenal for the opposition — against Ishiba, who reportedly threatened to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election if they did. In the plenary session speech ahead of the voting to dismiss Ibayashi, CDP lawmaker Shuji Inatomi accused the ruling parties of failing to deliberate on the gasoline tax bill, saying they are neglecting the impact of rising prices on people's livelihoods. 'The coalition has taken a very passive stance on this issue, and it's hard to say any concrete discussions to abolish (the provisional gasoline tax rate) have taken place,' Inatomi said. 'The ruling parties have consistently avoided specifying a clear timeline for the abolition.' The motion was submitted Tuesday by six parties — the CDP, Nippon Ishin no Kai, the Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito, the Conservative Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party. The parties protested Ibayashi's decision to prevent deliberations on an opposition-sponsored bill that would abolish a provisional gasoline tax rate from July 1. The bill — submitted by the six parties with the Japanese Communist Party last week — proposed scrapping two separate taxes often referred to simply as 'gasoline tax.' Parliamentary committee chairpersons have authority over the deliberations in their respective committees. The LDP, meanwhile, called the bill's submission 'unexpected' given the imminent closure of the parliamentary session and the absence of measures to deal with the expected fall of revenues. The provisional tax rate was introduced in 1974, in the aftermath of the first oil shock, by the government of then-Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka to help pay to maintain roads. It was originally intended as a temporary measure but has stayed in place ever since. This fiscal year, the gasoline tax contributed ¥2.2 billion ($15.2 million) in revenue to state coffers. In December, the LDP, Komeito and the opposition's DPP agreed to abolish the provisional gasoline tax, but when that would be implemented and how to fund it weren't discussed. In April, the three parties signed an additional deal to temporarily lower gasoline prices. The opposition is likely to tout Ibayashi's removal and its commitment to take concrete measures to eliminate the gasoline tax in the upcoming Upper House race.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Senate Waffle On Sara Duterte Impeachment Shows Deep Flaws In Philippine Democracy
June 15, 2025 'The Senate's return of impeachment articles of Vice President Sara Duterte to the Lower House is a blot on the democratic credentials of the Philippines,' said Peter Murphy, Chairperson of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP). 'The Senate delayed the trial from February and while it will proceed for now, there is the threat that somehow the House of Representatives could cancel it, or that incoming senators in July will tip the balance,' he said. The grounds of impeachment – misuse of US$10.5 million in discretionary and intelligence funds, unexplained wealth, an alleged murder plot against the President and his family, and betrayal of public trust- are well-founded in fact. Leading institutions such as the Ateneo School of Government and the Makati Business Club have weighed in to the public debate, demanding that the trial go ahead. Public opinion surveys show 88 per cent support for the trial going ahead. 'ICHRP strongly supports the public rallies and cries of the people to press the Senate to do its constitutional duty. Clearly the political elite are failing to uphold the 1987 Constitution, and it is the people who have to make sure it is enforced and that the Vice-President is held accountable,' said Murphy. 'These rallies are democratic assemblies protected by the Constitution and must not be suppressed by the authorities.' The international community, led by US policy, is either ignoring the unfolding fiasco or looking on with bemusement, while at the same time supplying weapons, training and political cover to the Marcos Jr. administration. 'It is long overdue that the international community itself upheld democratic standards and international law in its relations with the Philippines,' said Murphy. 'The Philippines is a rogue state where the rule of law is totally optional, where the state systematically murders and represses citizens who oppose its anti-people and anti-environment policies. 'ICHRP sponsored the International Observer Mission to the May 12 Mid-Term Elections, which we found to be deeply flawed, not meeting the international standards for a free and fair election,' said Murphy. 'But the international community again turned a blind eye. 'We repeat our longstanding call for an end to all military aid to this regime, and for the Marcos Jr government to immediately return to the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, a forum where the deep social and political problems of the Philippines can be addressed,' Murphy concluded.
Asahi Shimbun
5 days ago
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Dual surname issue takes toll on common-law couple in Tokyo
A common-law couple using the pseudonyms Mitsuru Nezu and Toko Kurokawa in Tokyo on May 30. They joined a 2024 lawsuit aiming to give married couples the option of maintaining different surnames. (Suzuka Tominaga) A Lower House debate on a selective surname bill signifies the first time in 28 years for the issue to make it to the Diet. However, there are no prospects for the bill to be passed before the current Diet session closes in a week, meaning the difficulties will continue for a Tokyo couple who have maintained a de facto marriage. It has been 17 years since Mitsuru Nezu and Toko Kurokawa—both pseudonyms out of consideration for their daughter—opted for a common-law marriage in order for them to hold different surnames. Kurokawa, 52, said her last name 'is the foundation that shapes my life and myself.' When the couple were initially considering marriage, Kurokawa had already been known by her last name and used it in her professional life for more than 30 years. She said she did not want to be legally married and force either her or her husband to give up their last name. Nezu, 51, had conversely thought that women change their last names by default. However, he changed his mind after building an equal relationship with Kurokawa. 'There is no reason for a woman to change her last name other than customary practice,' he concluded. 'We can't just follow the same old way of doing things.' The couple instead chose common-law marriage, thinking, 'This is our way of life.' But as the years went by, the disadvantages and insecurities of being in a non-legal partnership 'began to hit us like body blows.' About 10 years ago when the couple wanted to buy a house, they inquired with every major financial institution about obtaining a pair loan, or joint mortgage. Almost all of them did not recognize common-law marriages. 'I thought that de facto marriages were treated lightly,' Kurokawa said. The two ended up signing for a loan with a high interest rate. Health and tax matters hold additional stressors as their medical expenses cannot be combined into one household and are not eligible for a tax deduction. Were one of them to become a dependent after falling ill or becoming disabled, the couple would be unable to file for a spouse deduction. A death would likewise not include the standard deductions or benefits, including those concerning inheritance. Both also are unclear on their ability to consent to a surgery on behalf of the other in the event of an emergency. Though they all live together, Kurokawa has sole custody of their daughter who is in junior high school. 'We eat together as a family, laugh together and fight. These casual, sweet days can't be separated from anxiety, as if we are walking on thin ice,' Kurokawa said. The couple joined a group of plaintiffs in a March 2024 damage lawsuit calling for a system allowing married couples to have different surnames. The plaintiffs claim that provisions of the Civil Code and the Family Registration Law that bar couples from choosing separate last names violate their constitutional rights. Specifically, they cite Article 24 of the Constitution that prohibits unreasonable restrictions on marriage and Article 13, which guarantees the right to the pursuit of happiness. In two similar court cases in 2015 and 2021, the Grand Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the current system is constitutional. Nezu said he wants to ask the top court justices, 'Have you ever imagined yourself in the position of suffering?' A proposal from opposition parties to legislate the expansion of the use of maiden names to hold the same legal weight as a shared surname was also discussed at the current Diet session. However, Nezu and Kurokawa believe that 'changing one's family name does not alter the fact that one is abandoning the family name that has been a part of one's life for many years, and the problem of loss of identity will not be solved.' When both were preparing for the lawsuit, they made one attempt to register their marriage in February 2024. However, it was rejected after pair did not choose 'husband's name' or 'wife's name' in the surname section, but instead checked both options. The couple said they hope they will be able to joyfully register their marriage when a system open to different surnames is established.
