Opposition lawmakers lashed out at Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Monday over what they said is the administration's unclear stance on whether to join free-trade talks, criticized components of the third extra budget for the Tohoku region reconstruction and called on him to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election.
Sadakazu Tanigaki, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, grilled Noda during a Lower House plenary session two days after Noda made a policy speech, over the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership, which seeks to eliminate in principle all tariffs among member states.
"The government hasn't provided enough information (on the TPP) so the public can't even debate whether to join or not," Tanigaki said. "They should actively disclose information . . . and show clearly whether they are going to join or not."