[REVISION HISTORY]

Japan secondary capital bill passed, upper house clears

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-30 04:25 UTC → 2026-08-17 08:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Diet’s regular session was extended to late July 2026 to allow the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), to push the secondary‑capital bill. The lower house approved the legislation on 24‑25 July, designating Osaka as a backup seat of government and adding a final amendment to “adjust as much as possible to avoid overlapping election periods,” addressing opposition concerns about the Osaka gubernatorial election and the Osaka Metropolis referendum being held on the same day. The House of Councillors cleared the bill on 24 July by a razor‑thin margin of 123‑121 votes, a two‑vote difference that hinged on the participation of the coalition, the Team Mirai group and three independents. Team Mirai attached a digital‑use amendment, which helped secure its support despite questions about its expertise for such institutional reforms. Three LDP members were absent for medical treatment, prompting the coalition to describe the result as a “saved” victory. Following the special session’s conclusion, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appeared before the Lower House Budget Committee. Opposition lawmakers probed the narrow approval of the second‑capital bill and other recent reforms, while criticism arose within the LDP over Takaichi’s comparatively low committee attendance—just over 30 hours versus the 50‑90 hours logged by previous prime ministers. Critics continue to label the law a political manoeuvre rather than a genuine crisis‑management measure, whereas the government maintains it will improve disaster resilience and decentralise power from Tokyo.

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