The regular 150-day Diet session that convenes today will test the effectiveness of the newly launched coalition between Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's Liberal Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in shaping the nation's politics.

The LDP-Liberal alliance boasts a powerful combined force of 304 in the 500-seat Lower House, which holds precedence over the Upper House in budgetary matters.

However, it will still be 10 seats shy of a majority in the 252-seat Upper House, and the alliance will need support from outside the ruling camp to gain smooth Diet passage of a number of bills.