Japanese PM, opposition leader differ on budget submission issue
TOKYO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday failed to meet the request of main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Ichiro Ozawa that the government will submit a second supplementary budget for the 2008 fiscal year during the ongoing Diet session ending Nov. 30, Kyodo News reported.
"I cannot say clearly when I'll be able to submit (the bill) at this stage, but I'm now making efforts so that the supplementary budget will be submitted," Aso, who also serves as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was quoted as saying after talks with Ozawa at the prime minister's office.
"But this has nothing to do with the refuelling bill or the bill to strengthen financial institutions," Aso told reporters.
In response, however, Ozawa threatened to reject an expected voting in the opposition-controlled House of Councillors for a key government bill to extend Japan's refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations, saying that the DPJ will boycott Diet deliberations as from Tuesday.
If the bill is turned down in the upper house as widely expected, the ruling coalition will seek to win a second vote, possibly on Thursday in the more powerful House of Representatives to override the upper house' decision in line with constitutional provisions.
TOKYO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday failed to meet the request of main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Ichiro Ozawa that the government will submit a second supplementary budget for the 2008 fiscal year during the ongoing Diet session ending Nov. 30, Kyodo News reported.
"I cannot say clearly when I'll be able to submit (the bill) at this stage, but I'm now making efforts so that the supplementary budget will be submitted," Aso, who also serves as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was quoted as saying after talks with Ozawa at the prime minister's office.
"But this has nothing to do with the refuelling bill or the bill to strengthen financial institutions," Aso told reporters.
In response, however, Ozawa threatened to reject an expected voting in the opposition-controlled House of Councillors for a key government bill to extend Japan's refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations, saying that the DPJ will boycott Diet deliberations as from Tuesday.
If the bill is turned down in the upper house as widely expected, the ruling coalition will seek to win a second vote, possibly on Thursday in the more powerful House of Representatives to override the upper house' decision in line with constitutional provisions.
