A group of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers said Tuesday they will continue efforts to block Diet debate on a bill aimed at giving foreign residents voting rights in local elections, claiming the move to be unconstitutional.

Lawmakers belonging to the 50-member group met at LDP headquarters for the first time in three years and five months.

The meeting came after the LDP and its coalition ally, New Komeito, agreed to give preference to discussing the bill on voting rights for permanent foreign residents in local elections during the current extraordinary Diet session.