The House of Representatives could be dissolved at the end of July if opposition parties boycott and disrupt Diet proceedings on a bill that would allow Self-Defense Forces personnel to be sent to Iraq, top ruling party executives warned Thursday.
The secretaries general of the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party also confirmed that the Iraq bill and another that would extend the duration of an SDF mission in support of U.S.-led operations near Afghanistan must be enacted during the current Diet session, which ends July 28.
Political parties are waging a tug-of-war over the timing of the dissolution of the Lower House as they gear up for the next general election, which must be held by next June.