Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's political future hinges on how he manages the extraordinary Diet session that starts Monday.
Abe must face down the Democratic Party of Japan, which is poised to pounce on the political funds scandals rocking his Cabinet and opposes extending the Maritime Self-Defense Force logistic mission in the Indian Ocean.
In the worst-case scenario, Abe could even be forced to step down as prime minister, or dissolve the Lower House and call a general election — a gamble he has little chance of winning, observers say.