The Diet passed a bill Friday to amend the Postal Privatization Law and water down the postal reforms championed in the early 2000s by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and a bill to trim national lawmakers' salaries for two years.
The two bills were approved by the Upper House with help from the main opposition forces — the conservative Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, which jointly submitted the bills with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
The enactment of the bills represents a legislative victory for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, but his main priority — the social security and tax reform package — remains in danger because the opposition camp is refusing to join the talks until May. The Diet will close in June.