The ruling bloc -- the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito -- rammed a supplementary budget through the Lower House on Friday after the opposition camp boycotted deliberations in protest of health minister Hakuo Yanagisawa.

Empty opposition seats during the Lower House committee vote on the fiscal 2006 extra budget Opposition seats are empty Friday during the Lower House committee vote on the fiscal 2006 extra budget. KYODO PHOTO

The vote came as female opposition lawmakers took to the streets calling for the dismissal of the minister, who referred to women as "child-bearing machines" in a speech to the local party faithful in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, on Jan. 27.