By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) — A crucial budget session began Thursday in Japan's parliament, testing the minority government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Lawmakers will deliberate on a supplementary budget to help inflation-hit households and revise a political funds law after a bruising scandal that hit the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.
Support from the opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) will be crucial for the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito to fund the massive $252 billion economic stimulus package.
This is the first session since lawmakers reelected Ishiba as premier early this month, but without securing halfway point of 233 lawmakers, which is needed to pass any bill in the parliament, also known as the National Diet.
Ishiba secured support of 221 lawmakers in the House of Representatives which has 465 seats when he was reelected as Japan's 103rd premier in a run off on Nov. 11.
Earlier in September, after he won the LDP leadership race, Ishiba called for snap elections on Oct. 27 after being elected on Oct. 1.
Budget deliberations will continue until Dec. 21 for 24 days in the lower chamber of the Diet, or House of Representatives.
In snap elections last month, the LDP lost its majority in parliament for the first time since 2009, when it was ousted from power for three years.
Acknowledging the need for opposition support, Ishiba said he would "have to listen more carefully to the views of each party" during the parliamentary debate.
He will deliver his policy speech on Friday when he is expected to announce his government's plans to raise the income threshold for tax payments from the current 1.03 million yen ($6,800), as floated by the DPFP.
As part of the stimulus package, Ishiba’s government is also mulling a proposal for interest-free loans to people affected by devastating earthquakes.
If approved, the package will benefit people aged 70 and above.
At least 281 people were killed when a major earthquake devastated the Noto Peninsula, including Ishikawa province and nearby areas of central Japan, on New year Day.
Ishikawa was hit again by a 6.6 magnitude earthquake this week on Tuesday night.