With the ongoing parliamentary session set to close on Sunday, the ruling camp, led by the Liberal Democratic Party, is now determined to have the bill enacted at a full Upper House session on Friday.
Meanwhile, major opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, prepared a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a bid to prevent the enactment of the bill, which cleared the House of Representatives in June.
At a committee meeting earlier on Thursday, the opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against Upper House President Chuichi Date, condemning him for following the ruling coalition's stance of giving priority to enacting the bill over responding to fatal mudslides and floods caused by the torrential rain that chiefly hit western Japan earlier this month.
But the motion was voted down mainly by the ruling parties at a plenary meeting of the upper chamber. After this, the ruling camp reopened the committee session to put the bill to a vote.
AP - Nov 26
Top diplomats from Japan and China met for bilateral talks Saturday as they try to resolve disputes including China's ban on Japanese seafood that has badly hit Japanese exporters.
Reuters - Nov 25
Japan passed on Friday an extra budget worth around 13.1 trillion yen ($88 billion) aimed at helping households cope with the rising cost of living and corporations boost domestic investment, even amid concerns over the country's worsening finances.
News On Japan - Nov 23
Japan hosted the "Self-Defense Forces Joint Exercise," from October 10, attended by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and the U.S. military. JNN reports on Japan's only elite unit, the 1st Airborne Brigade, during their training.
The Diplomat - Nov 23
Japan’s biggest defense company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), has outlined plans for future growth through development investment in new major national defense projects, including standoff missiles and a joint next-generation fighter program with Britain and Italy.
NHK - Nov 22
North Korea's space agency says the country has launched a rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite and put it successfully into orbit.
Kyodo - Nov 22
A Japanese health ministry panel on Tuesday decided to ban HHCH, a synthetic cannabinoid, from Dec. 2 after many people who consumed gummies containing the compound had to go to the hospital.
dailymail.co.uk - Nov 22
The home of the US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel became the target of anti-Semitic vandals over the weekend who spray painted the word 'Nazis' on a fence outside his house in Michigan.
CNA - Nov 21
Japan has condemned the seizure of a Japanese-operated cargo ship by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, south of Israel.