The ruling coalition defied an opposition boycott to hold on Monday a question-and-answer session over a new set of privacy-protection bills and a counterproposal lodged by the opposition.

The debate was held during a special committee session within the House of Representatives.

Opposition parties boycotted the session after the ruling coalition failed to confirm that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda would attend a separate panel session to answer questions on national security bills.

The coalition members who attended the privacy-protection session, which was delayed for about one hour and 25 minutes, included Toranosuke Katayama, minister of public management, home affairs, posts and telecommunications, and Hiroyuki Hosoda, state minister in charge of information technology policy.

The controversial information bills have provoked widespread criticism among opposition members and the media. It is feared the government could use the legislation to control media reporting.

In answering questions from Lower House lawmaker Tadahiro Matsushita, who is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Hosoda said, "Various concerns and worries have been dissolved by revisions" in the new set of bills submitted by the government.

Regarding issues such as leaking personal information by private companies, Hosoda stressed the need for basic legislation aimed at protecting individuals.

He also said these bills should be enacted during the current Diet session.

Regarding opposition calls for the bills to stipulate individuals' rights to control access and usage of private information, Hosoda said they clearly mention the need for individual consent in cases such as providing information to third parties.

The government has sought to limit certain information-gathering activities in an effort to curb crime.

Opponents have complained, however, that the government may be given too much discretion in deciding the extent to which media reports can be controlled.