The House of Councilors passed four opposition-proposed bills to secure employment at its plenary session Friday with support from the opposition parties, which dominate the chamber, but the bills are unlikely to clear the ruling block-controlled Lower House.
By submitting the bills in the closing stages of the current Diet session, the Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties are apparently seeking to highlight what they argue is the ruling bloc's failure to address the employment issue.
The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling coalition has decided not to introduce a second extra budget in the ongoing session.