TOKYO: The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan demanded Thursday that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explain his health condition at a possible House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on Sept. 2.

CDPJ parliamentary affairs chief Jun Azumi, at a meeting with Hiroshi Moriyama, his counterpart from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, also requested that an extraordinary session of the Diet, the country’s parliament, be convened at an early date.

Moriyama took a negative stance toward the requests, saying that it seems necessary to wait and see ongoing moves within the opposition camp as the CDPJ and the Democratic Party for the People are headed for a merger.

As for growing speculation that Abe is unwell, Moriyama said he is not concerned about the prime minister’s health. “There are many rumors, but he has returned to official business and is performing his duties steadily,” the LDP official said.

Azumi and Moriyama agreed to meet again next week to discuss off-session parliamentary meeting schedules and other matters.

JIJI Press