Japan’s lawmakers set to convene for 150-day session beginning Jan 23
Japan’s parliament is set to convene for a 150‑day regular session on January 23, the first since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office in October, Kyodo reported.
The session, scheduled to run until June 21 unless extended, will deliberate the draft budget for fiscal 2026 and several key bills.
Takaichi, who advocates “responsible yet aggressive” public finances, aims to pass by the end of March an initial budget projected at a record 122.3 trillion yen ($790 billion).
Lawmakers are also expected to debate a bill creating a “second capital,” which will serve as a backup in times of crisis. Another aim is to reduce Tokyo’s dominance, Kyodo says.
Other bills include a proposal to cut the number of House of Representatives seats by 10 percent, a priority for Ishin but one that failed earlier this year.
Ahead of the session, Takaichi is set to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in mid‑January.
Earlier, it was reported that Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) set January 20 to restart a reactor northwest of Tokyo, after local authorities approved the utility's first reactor reboot since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.