Japan's Parliament Faces Long Road to Going Online

Tokyo, Dec. 29 (Jiji Press)--The Diet, Japan's parliament, is facing difficulties in holding sessions online despite the novel coronavirus epidemic. Mainly young lawmakers are discussing the possibility of an online Diet to avoid closed, crowded and close-contact settings, which are said to increase the risk of coronavirus infection. However, some veteran lawmakers strongly insist on lawmakers being physically present for plenary and committee meetings, making it unlikely that a virtual Diet will start anytime soon. In April, when Tokyo and other regions in Japan saw the first wave of coronavirus infections, a group of young lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party proposed measures such as recognizing the viewing of live Diet broadcasts as attendance and adopting online voting, as part of Diet reform. Young lawmakers from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, prior to its merger with the Democratic Party for the People, also urged legislation to allow remote deliberations and voting on bills. Demands for putting the Diet online have also been supported by female lawmakers, who need to be absent from sessions during pregnancy and childbirth. Yasuhiko Funago, a lawmaker in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, who has a severe disability, said that online Diet measures are essential to making the legislature barrier-free. Article 56 of the Constitution stipulates that one-third or more of all lawmakers must be present to open deliberations and take a vote in either chamber of the Diet. The mainstream understanding of the clause in the political world is that members need to be physically present. "Under the current Constitution, it is extremely difficult" to hold online Diet sessions, LDP Diet affairs chief Hiroshi Moriyama said. "Constitutionally speaking, it won't be an easy discussion," a senior CDP official said. While discussions on online Diet sessions are stalling, there is some progress on adopting information and communications technology to assist Diet deliberations. The House of Representatives, the lower chamber, approved in November the use of tablet devices at committee meetings. It will also consider going paperless for meeting minutes and official gazettes. The Upper House is looking to set up a project team that will discuss making Wi-Fi wireless connection available in the chamber and allowing the use of personal computers at committee meetings. END