The Diet appears to have become bogged down under the weight of a number of key legislative items that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi hopes to see enacted during the current 150-day session that ends June 19.
Some within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party believe Koizumi may even need to delay some of the legislation unless he is ready to extend the Diet's term beyond June 19.
The legislation submitted by the Koizumi-led coalition government includes a set of bills governing Japan's response to foreign military attacks. It also includes a bill on the protection of human rights and legislation to protect personal information, both of which have been criticized in the media as a veiled attempt by the government to tighten controls on journalists.