An Upper House panel rejected a contentious bill Friday to use road-related tax revenue exclusively to pay for road construction for the next 10 years — even though it will likely be rammed through the Diet by the ruling coalition next week.
The Democratic Party of Japan-led opposition camp voted down the bill, arguing that it contradicts Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's promise to free up the road-related taxes for general use beginning in fiscal 2009.
The full opposition-controlled Upper House is expected to vote down the bill early next week. However, the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling coalition is then expected to use its two-thirds majority in the Lower House to ram the bill through the Diet.