Discussions and bargaining on an extension of the current session of the Diet, which is scheduled to end on June 19, are heating up. Speculation about the extension of a Diet session that is tied up with the existing political situation is not unusual in itself, but discussions that reflect a leadership struggle more than anything else, like those currently taking place in the Diet, are rare. The remaining bills, such as those concerning emergency response to a military attack on Japan and the future of the postal service, are all very important, and rife with problematic content. In addition, the present confrontation is not only between the ruling and opposition camps but also between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and some elements of his Liberal Democratic Party. So the cross fire is much more complex than usual.

The most important feature of the present discussions, however, is that the "public factor" -- in other words, the extent to which the public's understanding and consensus-building make headway through the Diet deliberations -- seems to have been left behind. As a result, the discussions on a Diet extension ring hollow. Our concern is that this situation will only further exacerbate the feelings of political distrust held by the public, which is already quite upset over the series of scandals that have recently come to light.

The opinions on Diet extension within the LDP are quite varied, ranging from those who advocate a long extension to those who want just a short one. The sharp drop in the Cabinet approval rating, which has fallen much more than could have been anticipated when the Diet session was convened, has left Mr. Koizumi gasping for breath, so he views the handling of the important bills as his top priority at the moment. Thus, LDP Secretary General Taku Yamasaki advocates a long extension so that all the important bills pending can be enacted.