The ruling and opposition blocs have launched a consultative body to discuss issues related to tax revenue for road-related projects. But, strangely, the body will not discuss revisions to bills that will maintain the surcharges for the gasoline and other road-related taxes, and keep using the revenue from these taxes exclusively for road-related projects for 10 more years — the key political issues. But the revisions are supposed to be dealt with in Diet deliberations.

There is a strong possibility that the consultative body will fail to produce concrete results. To help avoid such a result, both the ruling and opposition camps should refrain from using the body for political maneuvering.

The government and the ruling parties have decided to free-up the tax revenue in question for use for general purposes from fiscal 2009, and to shorten the government road construction plan from 10 years to five years. Despite this, however, they are determined to pass the bills to maintain the surcharges and to carry out the 10-year road-construction plan for a second time with a two-third majority in the Lower House if the opposition-controlled Upper House either votes down or prolongs deliberations on the bills.