Diet convened Monday for a regular 150-day session, with debate to focus on immediate economic relief measures mapped out in the second extra budget bill for fiscal 2008.
The government and ruling coalition hope to pass the extra budget as soon as possible, but the bill will inevitably face a political tug of war, with the Democratic Party of Japan, the main opposition force, holding sway in the Upper House.
Although the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc wants the bill to clear the Lower House after debate Thursday and Friday, DPJ Diet affairs chief Kenji Yamaoka said it needs a five-day debate.