The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner New Komeito announced Thursday that the current Diet session will be extended by 12 days to July 5 to push through critical legislation, consequently delaying the Upper House election from the originally slated July 22 to July 29.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, facing harsh criticism for the Social Insurance Agency's mishandling of over 50 million pension premium payment records, aims to enact bills to reform the agency and to scrap the five-year time limit on pension claims.
Another key bill is one to curb "amakudari," the long-held practice of giving retiring bureaucrats lucrative posts at industries they once oversaw.
For related stories:
Abe has high hopes for Diet session
Parties duel in Diet over pension bills