Prime Minister Naoto Kan will hold a news conference Friday on the first day of an extraordinary Diet session in an apparent attempt to reverse his falling popularity.
It is rare for a prime minister to meet with the press when a legislative session begins.
His office informed the press Tuesday that Kan wants to hold a news conference late Friday afternoon to "express himself to the nation" on his policies.
Kan is apparently hoping to appeal to the public for support after his Democratic Party of Japan suffered a setback in the July 11 Upper House election.
Despite the setback, Kan is widely expected to seek re-election as DPJ president when his term expires in September. If re-elected, it is almost certain Kan will continue on as prime minister because the DPJ controls the Lower House.
On Thursday, Kan was to attend a meeting of all DPJ Diet members to review the electoral defeat, which caused the DPJ-led ruling coalition to lose its Upper House majority.