Showdown In Nagatachō

The lead story of this morning's Yomiuri Shimbun claims that Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo has decided to fight for the passage of the revised Indian Ocean dispatch bill using all means at his disposal. Should the House of Councillors fail to address or vote down the bill, the PM will ask the ruling coalition to reextend the Diet session past January 12, when it will become possible for the House of Representatives to simply override the actions or inaction of the House of Councillors.

The opposition majority in the House of Councillors will immediately pass a censure resolution against the PM.

Then things will get interesting--as the regular budget debate will be thrown out of whack and the House of Councillors will become an exceedingly hostile venue for the PM.

This has all the makings of a real train wreck come March.


Later - Aha! Global Talk 21 reports of possible cracks in the wall of intransigence.