Japan’s party leaders’ debate to be extended to 80 minutes

Ruling and opposition party lawmakers agreed on Monday to hold a planned debate of party leaders in parliament for 80 minutes, against the standard length of 45 minutes.

The debate will pit Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, against heads of opposition parties, including Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

The leaders debate will be the last opportunity for ruling and opposition lawmakers to spar during the current parliamentary session, as Ishiba plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on Wednesday for a snap general election.

Opposition lawmakers had been calling for budget committee meetings in both parliamentary chambers, which would be attended by Cabinet ministers in addition to Ishiba, but settled for an extended leaders debate.

In the debate, Noda will be given 40 minutes, while Nippon Ishin no Kai leader Nobuyuki Baba will have 20 minutes and Japanese Communist Party head Tomoko Tamura and Democratic Party for the People chief Yuichiro Tamaki will have 10 minutes each.

It is the first time for the length of a leaders debate to be extended since the ruling and opposition sides first agreed to hold it for 45 minutes in February 2003.