Many important bills are pending in the current extraordinary Diet session that closes Dec. 15, and the government and the ruling tripartite coalition no doubt are considering an extension of the session. The three opposition parties, meanwhile, are gearing up to quash the bills and present a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's Cabinet before the session closes.

The administration's difficulties stem from the Oct. 5 inauguration of a coalition that combines the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and New Komeito. Far from stabilizing Japanese politics, the giant alliance -- which accounts for 350 seats in the 500-seat Lower House and 160 in the 252-seat Upper House -- threw it into disorder.

Opinion polls indicate growing public concerns over disturbing similarities between the coalition and the wartime Imperial Rule Assistance Association. Action taken by the alliance in the past two months has corroborated such concerns and subsequent turmoil has exposed weaknesses of an administration created to win a political numbers game, without agreement on ideologies and policies. Typical was the recent turmoil over the public nursing-care insurance system and corporate donations to individual lawmakers. The problem laid bare the arrogance and lack of principles among government and LDP leaders.