Japanese Parliament Extends Session, Coalition to Chase Second Capital Bill

The Japanese House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing in Tokyo, July 17, 2026. Photo: Kyodo News.

Japanese Parliament extends the trial period for eight days until July 25. The government coalition needs additional time to pursue the enactment of a number of important draft laws.

Kyodo News, quoted on Friday, July 17, said the schedule for discussion in the Diet, the name for the Japanese parliament, was already crowded after the opposition boycott since the end of June triggered a deadlock.

The boycott was triggered by the bill to reduce the number of seats in the Japanese House of Representatives. The draft was submitted by the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP together with its smaller coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party or JIP.

The original trial lasted 150 days and was due to end on Friday. With the extension, the government coalition will pursue the bill on the establishment of the second capital.

The second capital was prepared as a backup center for Tokyo in the event of a disaster or other emergency. The bill is also aimed at encouraging decentralization.

For JIP, the draft can serve as a basis for reorganizing Osaka, the party's main base, into a metropolitan area like Tokyo through the establishment of a special district.

The government coalition also targets the ratification of a revision of the law on the referendum on constitutional change.

The change in the rules is preparation for a possible first national referendum to change Japan's constitution. The revision of the constitution is a long-standing agenda of the LDP led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

This extension of the trial period is the first since 2024.

The lower house, which has greater authority, approved the plan. The government coalition controls well over two-thirds of the 465 seats in the assembly.

The parliamentary deadlock ended last weekend after the coalition promised the opposition it would not pursue the passage of the bill to reduce seats during this session.