The Diet on Monday enacted the ¥12.1 trillion third supplementary budget for fiscal 2011 to finance reconstruction of the areas affected by the March 11 triple disasters. Bills for securing funds for the budget are expected to pass the Diet on Nov. 30, but Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will have a difficult time in the Diet.

There are no prospects that other important bills will be enacted during the current Diet session, which will end Dec. 9. Although the opposition Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito cooperated with the Democratic Party of Japan in passing the extra budget, they are now becoming combative. Mr. Noda is considering extending the Diet session by two weeks.

The LDP and Komeito insist that the planned Reconstruction Agency should be empowered not only to coordinate different government organizations but also to implement projects in disaster-hit areas. The DPJ may have to accept their revisions.