{
  "id": 12239526,
  "title": "Japan Diet's '60-day rule' may shape fate of major bills in extra session",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/japan-diets-60-day-rule-may-shape-fate-of-major-bills-in-extra-session",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T22:00:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261005/p2g/00m/0na/022000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government convened an extraordinary parliamentary session on Monday, potentially utilizing a 60-day rule to push through crucial legislation without prolonged deliberations in the Senate. This rule stipulates that if the less influential upper chamber fails to vote on a bill within 60 days of its passage by the lower house, it is treated as having rejected the legislation. The government aims to pass two major bills during the 69-day session, which concludes on December 12, one of which is a consumption tax reduction on food products and another to decrease the number of lower house seats. While invoking the 60-day rule poses significant risks, political experts believe it could pressure opposition parties. The ruling coalition, comprised of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, holds a combined 351 seats in the lower house of 465. If the 60-day rule is applied before the session's end, a bill would likely need to clear the lower house by mid-October. The most contentious bills involve reducing the consumption tax rate for food and beverages and altering the lower house's size. Some LDP members and opposition parties might oppose these measures, but the ruling parties may rely on a two-thirds majority to override the Senate's decision. However, this could strain relations with opposition parties and hinder future policy cooperation. Despite the urgency of addressing people's livelihoods, political scientists argue that prioritizing majority support in the upper house should be the first step.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- An extraordinary parliamentary session that convened Monday may put a spotlight on a rule that could lead Prime Minister Sanae Takaic",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}