The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc rammed an unpopular bill needed to finance the fiscal 2008 second extra budget through the powerful Lower House on Wednesday after it was rejected earlier by the opposition-controlled Upper House.
Despite fears that several LDP members would rebel to undermine the two-thirds majority needed to override the Upper House, only two did — former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Jiro Ono, one of his ex-secretaries.
The pair abstained because the bill finances Prime Minister Taro Aso's controversial ¥2 trillion cash handout program.