The government may submit to the next regular Diet session starting in January legislation stipulating how Japan would respond to a military attack, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda hinted Thursday.

"I agree with the idea that we should be prepared (for possible crises), instead of doing something once they happen," Fukuda said. "I see the need for the Diet to discuss the issue as soon as possible next year."

Japan has been conducting studies since 1977 on legislation stipulating the activities of the Self-Defense Forces in the event of an attack, but no administration has attempted to introduce it.

He was apparently hinting the government may consider submitting legislation based on those studies. that have neared completion to the Diet.

The comments came a day after Taku Yamasaki, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, told Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani that he thinks legislation for dealing with emergencies should be the main topic in the 150-day regular Diet session.

A senior LDP lawmaker told reporters Wednesday that a conclusion on the proposed legislation may not be reached in the regular Diet session but that the momentum is growing for debate on the issue in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Pay-cut plan shelved

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday that Diet members should be the first to face pay cuts if they are planning to ask public servants to do the same to share the pain of the economic slowdown.

"If the two are placed side by side, of course the Diet members' pay should be cut," Fukuda said. "Then they should ask public servants to cooperate."

Fukuda said Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has asked his Liberal Democratic Party to consider cutting the salaries of the highest-paid public servants as part of a plan to cut lawmakers' salaries by 10 percent. Under current laws, legislators must have higher salaries than public servants.

The ruling coalition, however, decided not to submit a bill on reducing lawmakers' salaries during the current Diet session, which ends today.

Koizumi expressed displeasure to senior LDP legislators Tuesday night that the bill was shelved, saying lawmakers "can't just do nothing at a time when companies are folding and people are being thrown out of work."